Windy Court

Designed Like the Planet Matters

Community gardens, xeriscaping, solar panels, native species

Site design took into consideration two key variables: sun and water. Being located in the high desert with 300+ days of sunlight a year, the location was perfect for solar panels. Each of the homes is topped with an array that is designed to produce more energy that the homes consume -- enabling a nice feature for residents ... "utilities included."  

Paradoxically, these high desert homes are next to Boise's famous canal system, but the undeveloped land had no access to the canal. We built a pipeline to the canal for Windy 1 and future developments that would need access to the canal. To minimize use of the water, we used xeriscaping methods, drought-resistant grass and native plant species. That's about as sustainable as it gets. We suppose you could add vegetable gardens to make it more sustainable. So we added those, too! 

Construction of the homes also had sustainability in mind -- and a touch of accessibility. Insulation exceeds code standards in the walls and ceilings -- ensuring reduced usage of electrical-powered HVAC systems. Top-of-the-line windows are designed to keep the right air in and the wrong air out. Because the skeleton of the home uses upcycled steel shipping containers, the windows literally help the homes "exhale" in ways peculiar to traditional construction. Sheathed in Hardie board siding, the steel container infrastructure will be protected against the elements for a very long time. 

PROJECT DETAILS

4 BED, 2 BATH, 960 SF, ADA Visitable, Open floor plan

PREFERENCE: Households with elderly or disabled residents

Application Team - LEAP Housing

Architect/Designer - indieDwell

Time on Application - 500 - 600 hours

Application Award Amount - $1.1M

Land costs - Donated by Cay Marquart