August 2010 - Infill Design & Construction
MDAD, Inc. Thoughts
Infill Design and Construction|Joey R. Martin, AIBD
We hear the term more and more today. Along with Green building, Infill has become another key word in today’s design and construction industry. A new book, Infill: New Houses for Urban Sites by Adam Mornement and Annabel Biles defines Infill as the industry term for the development of small-scale vacant parcels of land within built-up areas. A more literal definition would be Rough material, such as rubble, used to fill in a framework to create walls which are then finished with plaster or similar; also the insertion of new buildings between existing ones. Either way, I think you see where I’m heading.
Now, granted, this type of construction generally takes place in larger urban areas such as Indianapolis (http://www.wthr.com/Global/story.asp?S=12860442), Portland, Oregon (http://www.portlandonline.com/bps/index.cfm?c=34024) , and many others. The City of Sacramento in California has gone a step further. The city has established a program designed for infill. Pre-designed and approved homes ready for construction. http://www.cityofsacramento.org/dsd/planning/division-infill/index.cfm.
There are many factors influencing the phenomenon including government policies on the reuse of urban land and the growing numbers of people preferring city life with its opportunity for work and entertainment. Smaller families, singles and aging populations are increasing demand for single-unit dwellings. Urban land is an increasingly precious commodity, particularly in the centers of major cities. Every spare corner of land is in demand, however small, inaccessible or awkwardly shaped. For architects and designers, the challenge is to optimize these sites while simultaneously negotiating the web of planning regulations to create homes suited to today’s lifestyles.
But Why…?
Why? That is the question. But I say why not! Let’s look at the American dream from just 20 years ago. When I graduated from High School n the late 1980’s, the dream of a new family home started with finding the perfect piece of land, farm land for the most part, somewhere outside of town to build that perfect home. Far from the hustle and bustle of town life, far from the noise, and far from the neighbors. With 99¢ gas and land outside of town being the least expensive as more and more farmers looked to free themselves of acreage, the choice was a no brainer. Of course even then there was a down side. From firsthand knowledge, my parents built 2 miles outside of town, even the late night trip to get some milk was a 4 mile trek. Getting to and from friends, sports practices and games, took a couple of days notice to be scheduled. That was a lot of driving after all. Now flash forward 20 years or so. Gas is routinely $3.00 a gallon, kids are more involved than ever with after school activities, and shortening that trip to get milk is a top priority. Over those previous 20 years, as people left cities and town for the countryside, what we are left with is a glut of empty or run down lots that can be had for little money in some cases. OK but why your still asking. Well….economics and the environment. Economics. The economics benefits can be numerous. Starting with costs. Searching listings in my own town. I could easily find lots for under $10k, or homes in need of a bulldozer for under $18k. So, lot costs. There there’s what I consider to be the most important aspect…. Infrastructure! That’s the key for me. Roads(think driveways), sidewalks, power, gas, water, trash pickup…all of the needed infrastructure that you would need to pay for out of pocket is already on these sites. No worrying about how deep that well needs to be, no worrying about the size of that septic system, where are we going to put the propane tank…yada yada. Conservative estimates on those savings alone would be $20k. That’s a lot of money in the well and septic alone to pay for increased insulating of the home. The Environment. From the green perspective, infill reduces energy consumption, improves air quality by reducing traffic miles and prevents the consumption of even more agricultural land. Nothing is Greener that recycling, and recycling land counts too. Kids are closer to friends and after school activities, you may be closer to work and would be certainly closer to shopping, all of which reduce your carbon footprint. And as I mentioned earlier, the money saved by not having to provide your own infrastructure can be spent on green features in the new home. Solar panels to provide a little extra power during peak times are an option for that extra cash. Grey water or rain water harvesting is a nice investment for irrigating that new flower bed. I mentioned insulation earlier, and with the savings you could buy more of it. Upgrading from standard fiberglass batts to a foam or cellulous is a tremendous investment in your new home. Stopping money sucking air leaks in the walls, floors, and ceilings can in some cases reduce your energy costs by 40%.But…Won’t a New Home Stand Out Like A Sore Thumb?
Ahh yes. Aesthetics. Of course I wouldn’t forget to talk about the aesthetics. Now, this part will sound a little self serving…but hey, I did write it….HIRE A DESIGN PRO! Buying a city lot and asking for an Indiana Ranch, as I call them, would not work of course. You need someone that can take the proper amount of time to perform site studies, and to examine the surrounding neighborhood to design the best home not only for your tastes, but that blends with the neighborhood. In my experience builders build. That’s how they get paid. Spending a month or two meeting with you and going over all the possible options is not what they do. Even when hiring a Design/Build firm for your new home, the “builders” in that firm as smart enough to leave the “design” to the designers in the office. We have all driven down Main street, wherever your Main street may be, and look at the stately Victorians, and the properly proportioned Queen Anne homes. And let’s not forget my personal favorites, the wonderful Craftsman and Bungalows that fill the tree lined streets. Now imagine having one of those beautiful homes with all the modern amenities and energy efficient features.
And don’t forget the outdoor space! How many times have you heard it….there won’t be room for the kids. Further evidence of the need for a design pro if you ask me….wink, wink. Properly designing your new infill home to the site is even more important when dealing with the smaller, more narrow lots of our cities and towns. Proper proportion of footprint to lot size should leave plenty of room for a family pool and great outdoor living spaces.
Whether small towns like mine or a city of a million people, the small but great lots are out there, ready for you to develop or redevelop into your American dream, all the while saving you a bit of money.
Empty Lot......
.......With New Infil Home
