Student-built “Mini–B” Passive House on display at Phinney Neighborhood Association Community Center
What
Media representatives are invited to join the community in exploring the 300-square foot eco-friendly, energy efficient, and green living modular residence also known as the “Mini-B”. The home was built by 22 carpentry students at Seattle Central Community College/Wood Construction Center under the supervision of instructor Frank Mestemacher.
When
Saturday, January 15, 2011
10 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.
Where
Phinney Neighborhood Association Center
6532 Phinney Ave North
Lower parking lot off North 67th Street
Seattle WA 98103
Representatives from Seattle Central’s Wood Construction Center, Johnson Braund Design Group, Phinney Neighborhood Association and the Northwest EcoBuilding Guild will be available for interviews in advance or at the open house.
Background
The home will be on display at the center for six months. During that time the Seattle chapter of the Northwest EcoBuilding Guild will be using the Mini-B to encourage building practices that promote super energy efficiency. After its six-month stay at the center the Mini-B will go on sale with more planned to be built and sold.
Students built the Mini-B from start to finish applying the principles of airtight construction and high-performance in all phases of the home’s construction:
- Placing high-performance windows appropriately for solar gain
- Installing insulation and air barrier that is almost 100 percent air-tight, with full-time 100% fresh air ventilation
- Utilizing building methods and materials to allow for passive solar heating
- Completing all the interior details
Students from the Business Information Technology program, under the supervision of instructor Robert Natoli, participated in the project by preparing a logo and media packet for the Mini-B Passive House project.
The Mini-B, designed by architect Joe Giampietro (Johnson Braund Design Group), has a kitchenette, three-quarters bath, living/dining room, bed loft, closet, equipment loft with storage, solar hot water collector, and vaulted ceiling. It is built to an energy conservation standard that uses approximately 15 percent of the heating energy used by similar houses built to current Washington State Energy Code requirements. Once the last inspection and test is completed, Mini-B will be certified as a “Passive House” by the Passive House Institute U.S.
For more information
Frank Mestemacher – Seattle Central carpentry instructor, (206) 934-2970 or FMestemacher@sccd.ctc.edu
Joe Giampietro – Mini-B building designer and architect, 206.766.8300 or joeg@jbdg.com
Contact
Judy Kitzman
(206) 587–5487
jkitzman@sccd.ctc.edu