Habitat Re•Imagined

Sustainable Community

Platinum “Net Zero” Green Building Certification

by

I’m excited to announce that our latest house in Echo Hills Cottages just qualified for the Platinum level of Green Built Certification. The owner added an array of solar collectors, which pushed our very energy efficient homes to a new level of certification as a “Net Zero “energy home.

As all of our homes, this house starts with ICF (Insulated Concrete Forms) for the lower level and SIPs (Structural Insulated Panels) above grade. We finish off with spray foam insulation on the roof and very efficient windows and doors. Most windows face south for passive solar gain, and heating and cooling is accomplished through a Mitsubishi mini-split system.

The house also has a footprint of only 1000 sq. ft. and is creatively designed for efficient use of space. It is also beautiful and quality crafted in every way – check it out.

 

Development Update at Echo Hills Cottages

by

As usual, it has been quite some time since I posted an update to this blog. Well, one reason is that there has been a lot going on with the development of Echo Hills Cottages. Since my last post we completed the 4th and 5th house, completed putting together an orientation workshop for Nurturing a Cooperative Culture, and finished our long overdue website for Echo Hills Cottages.

Hopefully, I’ll follow up with a post with more details later but, for now, here is a snapshot of the last three houses that we completed.

Laurie and I moved into 2 Wellspring Ln in February of last year. which is 1470 sq. ft. and includes a studio apartment in the lower level.

 

John moved into 5 Wellspring in August, which is 1300 sq. ft. and includes a workshop in his lower level

 

Shealy moved into 10 Wellspring in December, which is 1000 sq. ft. and is divided with living area on upper level and sleeping on lower level – and then added a solar system that is estimated to supply over 90% of her power!

We also just staked the location for next house which will be 900 sq. ft., again divided with living area on upper level and sleeping on lower. I hope to break ground the beginning of August, with completion in spring. This house will be available to lease with the option to purchase.

Stay tuned for more updates, and be sure to check out the information and photos on the new website for Echo Hills Cottages.

Shared Housing at Echo Hills Cottages

by

We’re moving along nicely with development of our “intentional” neighborhood. Three homes are completed and occupied. Another home is just about done and will be occupied by mid July. Our fifth is well on it’s way and we hope to have the owner in this fall.

Another current project is transforming our community house into a shared housing model, providing three individuals the opportunity to rent in our community. With the lower level self-contained studio suite occupied, we’re turning our attention to the main floor. By the first of August, 2017, the two bedrooms will be filled and we will continue the process of developing our relationships based on the principles and tools that we have been working on and putting into place as the foundation for this “intentional” neighborhood.

 EHC Community House

We will begin with each renter completing their own Blueprint of We. This will give us the foundation for creating the relationships we each are comfortable with, and assist us in navigating our shared space by aligning our values, needs and expectations. For me, there are three “tools” I’m very excited to begin using with our group. Those are Mindfulness, Conscious Communication and Heart Coherence. Of course, whenever we gather to discuss and work on decisions that need to be made, we’ll use the consent process of sociocracy.

Watch for future posts on our shared housing journey at Echo Hills.

Kathleen

What’s New at Echo Hills Cottages.

by

There’s been great progress here at Echo Hills Cottages since our last update in January of this year. Connie and Bob moved into their new home in May. The octagonal shaped, green built house features an open floor plan, custom cabinets, a porch with a beautiful view, and oak flooring milled from trees around the property.

the-model-house-2The model home, built in 2014, is now occupied by – me, Kathleen! My housemate Shealy and I share the kitchen and I have transformed the lower level into a cozy suite with everything I need. Shealy has the rest of the top floor including a porch overlooking a wooded area of the property.

ron-lauriesThe next house under construction in our West Asheville community is Ron and Laurie’s. It’s more than halfway done and looks different every day. Once the stucco is finished it will blend in quite nicely with the trees. I think it already does. A great example of thoughtful and professional land-use planning.

DSC03381

My favorite part of the process so far was the delivery of the insulated concrete forms. Sitting there waiting to be installed, they reminded me of Lego bricks. Well they’re much more than that of course. They are light, easy to work with, and provide an insulating factor of R 25. The houses being built at Echo Hills Cottages are super energy efficient as well as beautiful.

johns-framing-going-upThe fourth house is well underway with the foundation complete and the framing just begun. This awesome team of framers will have this phase done in no time!

It’s been inspiring to watch Echo Hills Cottages grow. As a community we are all engaged and committed to a level of relational connection that gives us a sense of belonging, and safety. For me, living here is providing opportunities for personal growth and development that I have desired for a long time.

An Echo Hills Story

by

Bob & ConnieSeveral years before my retirement, I found myself investigating intentional communities in North Carolina. When my partner, Bob, read about Echo Hills and then visited in October of 2013, we began to consider what it would mean to move into a developing community. Despite obvious challenges that we would face, what we were drawn to was the group of people that we met when we visited for a weekend retreat in 2014. By spending time with this group of people over the course of 2 days, we were even more drawn to this community because of the comfort level that was established by sharing our stories and our dreams for the future. Essentially, the relationship building that was initiated would be the foundation of the community, which we came to realize was just as important as the physical construction process.

As we inched closer to the decision to build at Echo Hills, we were still full of questions, but with each wave of hesitation, we skyped with the developers, Ron and Laurie, and our fears were allayed. The big move to Asheville happened in the summer of 2015, when we pulled our 1985 RV into the driveway and began to watch the foundation and walls appear. As I sit here in January amid paint chips and countertop options, I am amazed at how far we have come and how smoothly the building has progressed. Our involvement on a daily basis has been facilitated by living at the site, first in the RV and then later in a room in the shared house on the property. Communication with the developer, the carpenter, and with each of the contractors has enhanced my understanding and appreciation of how complex the building of a home within a new development can be.

There are still many more details to be ironed out both for the house and for the overall development and at each juncture, questions arise and possibilities are discussed. We meet with community members on a weekly basis at Qi Gong and meditation practice and also meet periodically to discuss overall community concerns and plans for group projects.

Admittedly, moving to Echo Hills to build was a leap of faith, but my experience has taught me that what has been just as important as the house arising is the relationship building that has evolved over the course of these 2 years. I have learned a great deal about myself and have come to depend on the ease of communication with all of the community members, but in particular with Ron and Laurie with whom we have shared common space and meals and game playing and occasional colds. Without this connection I would not be as comfortable and positive about what lies ahead as I am right now, even amid the snowy blizzard that is blanketing our region at this moment. I am anxious to see the community grow as new members join our adventure, even if it is just to meet people who might or might not decide to build here.

I realize that I was fortunate to have been able to start building because I had already sold my house in Philadelphia, and I do hope that others will have the same opportunity, whether it is here or in another setting. I have learned that any development, large or small, with tiny homes or medium size homes or large homes will take patience and dedication and that not all of my questions could be answered in advance. Without Ron and Laurie’s experience and expertise as they managed the process of utility development and road construction and permitting and endless bureaucratic and legal barriers, Echo Hills would not be the haven I will enjoy for many years to come. I feel confident that what I have been offered is a good value as well as a very efficient and sustainable place to play and work and laugh among friends.

My gratitude for all of the players in this scenario is monumental – from the sellers of property to the idea creators to the investors to the craftsmen to the professionals and especially to each

and every individual I have encountered. Echo Hills is a work in progress and I feel blessed to have landed in this little corner of the world as new life and relationships and adventures unfold.

Connie Falcone

Work With Us