Meeting Agenda for Schematic Design Kickoff
- Review Wants and Needs and Project Narrative
- Review Inspirational Images & Books
- Sustainable Concepts
- Zoning and Building Code
- Landuse Review – If Required
- Review Site Plan
- Contractor
- Additional Consultants required for Project
- Schedule – Short Term
- Schedule – Overall Project – Review
Seed Pod Wants and Needs
- Brandon: Put in a kitchen sink, mini-fridge, and microwave immediately?
- Ben: A small microwave is no problem, I already own one
- Could eliminate the bathroom sink in that case
- Jason: clients with the sink outside the bathroom give mixed reviews
- Decision: just put in the rough plumbing in the walls and leave a space where a compact kitchen could go
- A ladder isn't good enough for up-to-code access to a sleeping space
- Stairs wouldn't be so bad anyway, since the cat can use them and there will be storage space underneath
- Internet connection
- Wireless would work, but Ethernet is more secure
- While we're running that line from the main house, may as well throw in a fiber-optic line in case it becomes useful later
Green concepts
- Composting toilet
- Two types of unit, one requiring underfloor access, one that's
smaller and requires more frequent changing
- Ben has to talk with Mathew and Molly about both legal issues
and what it's like to use
- Shelley isn't sure we can use all the compost
- Could start a compost business?
- Passive House
- Eliminates the need for a heating system
- Sometimes there might still be a small one for the bathroom floor
- Requires 10-inch-thick walls, may reduce internal volume by about a foot in each direction for same exterior footprint
- Requires foreign-built windows and doors
- Door has an air seal ... kind of space-capsule-like
- CO2 monitors to make sure you don't have too much buildup
- Would increase the cost 8-20% depending on contractor's
experience level
- Brandon likes this idea better than composting toilet
- http://www.passivehouse.us/passiveHouse/PHIUSHome.html
- Rainwater capture
- Probably on the main house and walkway roofs, if we do a green roof on the Seed Pod itself
- Storage tank would go underground next to the Seed Pod
- Shelley would really appreciate the help with watering the garden in summer
- Jason has a couple contractors he likes
- Talk to them right after Earth Day?
- Which engineers we choose may depend on the type of contractors