From 2006 - 2009, Dovetail Partners delivered an Eco-Affordable Housing Program with the objective to discover solutions that promote and sustain resources and community. This program aimed at meeting and providing specific housing needs, particularly in rural areas. However, it was not just about the house. The objectives of this program were to create environmental awareness, to demonstrate the use of housing as an economic development tool for rural communities, and to facilitate the process of obtaining and constructing eco-affordable housing so that it may be replicated easily.

Download the Program Brochure, click here (pdf, 1 MB).

About the Program

We partnered with communities that have identifed a need for affordable housing and/or an interest in green building/sustainable design. The level of involvementvaried from project to project. In some instances, Dovetail has acted as the developer. In others, Dovetail has been involved as a consultant for green building practices and affordable housing options.

Education

As most green building education is focused in the urban setting, we have focused most of our efforts in rural communities. We feel that to truly discourage urban sprawl, all areas and demographics need education on green building practices and sustainability. We aspire that our efforts have taught builders and their communities new ideas that can easily be incorporated into future projects. Besides having reduced utility costs, new homeowners involved in the program have learned about healthy energy-efficient living, good design principles, and sustainable options that have positively affected their everyday lives. They have also gained access to local vendors and materials that they may not have previously known about.

Economic Development and Local Services

Some rural areas have housing needs as well as interests in economic development. For example in some areas, manufacturing plants, forest-based businesses, and other industries are local resources that may be under utilized. We hope that this program has connected communities and their goods via the construction process, and established new avenues of income (or strengthened current ones). Dovetail's mission has been to focus mainly on the local community in order to realize this goal. When we build an eco-affordable housing project, local materials and vendors take priority over anything non-local. Not only has this been a good choice environmentally, but it has encouraged future projects for the area to be done locally as well. This process has also helped to uncover local options and resources that may not have been apparent before.

Energy Efficiency

A big part of making a house both comfortable and affordable to live in, is energy efficiency. Dovetail has provided design assistance to communities in order to help them identify energy-efficient strategies as part of an integrated design approach. These energy-efficient strategies have been modeled after programs already in operation by local utilities (e.g., Xcel Energy) and Energy Star. Design assistance has also included construction monitoring and commissioning upon building completion. Furthrmore, Dovetail has collaborated with a worthy cast of players during design processes prior to the development phase of a project in order to provide energy efficient designs.

Funding

Dovetail's Eco-Affordable Housing Program received support from the McKnight Foundation, Weyerhaeuser Family Foundation, Otto Bremer Foundation, Surdna Foundation, Blandin Foundation, and Rockefeller Brothers Fund.

Green Building Program Aspects

There are many things to look at when building a green building. Minnesota Green Communities, Minnesota GreenStar, and the USGBC's LEED Program both have a specific set of criteria to follow in order to build green. However, most of these programs are catered specifically to urban communities and do not offer options for rural areas. For this reason, Dovetail chooses to not endorse one specific program, but to take aspects that work from each one. Dovetail would like to test out these programs and offer suggestions to interested parties about what works and what doesn't for rural communities.

1. Building Envelope: Foundation, walls, and roofs should be airtight, watertight, and well-insulated. Windows and doors should be energy efficient and properly installed. Floor plan should be designed with material sizes in mind and utilizing advanced wood framing techniques.
2. Heating, Cooling, and Ventilation: Use energy efficient heating and cooling systems that are installed and sized properly. Efficiently plan ductwork to be kept in a conditioned space and verify all ducts are sealed properly with mastic. Use energy management systems such as programmable thermostats and timed fans, and verify ventilation is energy efficient and addresses moisture and replacement air. A fresh air intake system is a requirement.
3. Lighting and Appliances: Select Energy Star, or high-energy efficiency, for all appliances. Specify fluorescent lighting when appropriate and test lighting fixture sizes to ensure that incandescent bulbs can be replaced by high efficiency fluorescents. Look into on-demand hot water heaters, low-flower showerheads and faucets, and dual-flush toilets as options for reducing water and energy consumption.
4. Materials: Choose materials that are durable, easy to install and maintain, and that can be recycled post-use (when available). Non-toxic materials that are local and contain recycled content are preferred. Examine energy consumption upon manufacturing, and choose products from vendors with green philosophies. Specify FSC wood and other renewable materials when applicable.
5. Site Impacts: Manage stormwater on-site if possible and keep building footprint to a minimum. Use low-maintenance landscaping, plant trees to maximize passive solar heating/cooling, and use plants native to region. Choose sites with existing infrastructure that can take advantage of an existing community.
6. Waste Management: Specify that landfill waste is kept to a minimum. Construction crew should develop waste management program that reduces construction waste by at least 50%. Design for recycling bins and proper waste management/composting in the kitchen and rest of house. If possible, LEAN manufacturing will be utilized.