E2 City Homes
Minneapolis, Minnesota
E2 City Homes is an urban infill project that brings new life and four market rate housing units to this south Minneapolis lot that had laid vacant since 1999. In late 2004, Hennepin County together with the Lyndale Neighborhood Development Corporation selected The Urban Project and LHB’s schematic design for the tax forfeited property.
From the outset, the design goal for the project was achieving LEED for Homes certification. The building envelope is a very energy efficient wall system of insulated concrete forms (ICF’s) for the exterior and unit separation walls.
In addition to its high thermal mass, the project’s urban context, close proximity to the bus line, and modestly sized open floor plan units contributed to the project’s LEED for Homes Gold certification. Sustainable site features include native landscaping, permeable paving, and rain gardens to manage stormwater on-site.
The designers employed many other green features such as a geothermal heating and cooling system, abundant natural daylighting including the use of light tubes in interior spaces, Energy Star appliances and lighting, low-VOC paints, materials made from renewable resources including bamboo and cork flooring, water-conserving faucets and dual flush toilets, and soy bean-based foam insulation in the attic that reduce the building’s environmental impact while providing life-cycle cost reductions and an overall improved quality of life for the residents.
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