The “Mini-B” passive house was installed in the lower parking lot of the Phinney Neighborhood Center, 6532 Phinney Ave. N., last month, and the official open house is from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Saturday.
The Mini-B during its installation on Dec. 12, 2009.
The 300-square-foot eco-friendly, energy efficient modular residence was built by 22 carpentry students at Seattle Central Community College/Wood Construction Center.
The Seattle chapter of the Northwest EcoBuilding Guild is using the Mini-B to encourage building practices that promote super energy efficiency. After six months at the PNA, it will go on sale, with the hope being that more will be built and sold if it proves popular enough.
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.
Representatives from Seattle Central’s Wood Construction Center, Johnson Braund Design Group, Phinney Neighborhood Association and the Northwest EcoBuilding Guild will be on hand during the open house to answer questions about the Mini-B.
