The project has a five-foot setback from a wetland ecosystem, creating connectivity to a landscape with plenty of native wildlife and vegetation. Throughout construction, the project team observed Herons (Great Blue & Grey), beavers, Columbian Black-tailed deer, dragonflies, pacific tree frogs, American bullfrogs, and many other creatures in the backyard.

From the street view, the modern and trendy farmhouse-style home stands out from other more traditional houses in the neighborhood. Amidst the isolation that the pandemic has brought about, many of society’s “normal” activities were constrained to their residences and made virtual.  As a result, this project sought to integrate some of those activities into the space itself. The design features a “Zoom Room” for an unbeatable work-from-home setting with a stunning view of the backyard.  Outside of the workday, the residents can enjoy a variety of in-home activities: an entertainment/theater room complete with a wet bar and beverage fridge; a music room with decorative sound attenuation tiles; an exercise room with a sauna and steam shower nearby and is equipped with ventilation systems that filter and pre-heat fresh air into the entire home.

Throughout the early stages of construction, Lochwood-Lozier explored different iterations of building components and systems to achieve significant energy savings to target Built Green 5-Star’s required 30% energy savings or greater (as compared to code).  The combination of a ducted heat pump system, ceiling cassette mini-split heads, in-floor hydronic radiant heating, balanced ventilation system, and humidity sensor exhaust fans allows for the home to remain comfortable and energy efficient.  The intentional placement of the mechanical systems keeps them in the background while bringing the interior finishes and outdoor views at the foreground.  A 5.6 kW solar photovoltaic system was installed at the southeast and southwest sides of the roof to offset some of the energy consumption of these mechanical systems, the EV chargers, and luxurious amenities.

The three-bedroom, two bath house is meant to allow the occupants to age in place. The first floor has a kitchen, main living space, a bedroom and bathroom, and ADA-compliant doorways.

Overall, this home is a comfortable, clean, net positive building, allowing the homeowners to be happy, healthy, and confident in the knowledge that their home is serving their needs, meets a high standard of excellence, and is protecting the environment in the process.

To monitor the energy consumption and usage of the home, the project incorporated a Brilliant Smart Home System that integrates an audio/video intercom, lighting, HVAC controls, and security cameras along with an EcoBee Smart Thermostat.  Innovative features like motorized touch-sensor cabinet doors, Alexa-enabled kitchen faucets, touchscreen wine and coffee dispensers, switchable glass windows in front of the bathtub for privacy, a bidet in the primary bathroom, lights tubes in the primary closet, and an operable skylight also makes this home hard to leave!  Many of these technological elements will also allow for its residents to age in place and ensure this is their forever home. Ultimately, the 2021 Northwest Idea House shows that high-performance and innovation is achievable in a large, luxury home with intentional design, details, and execution.

Completed this year, the development earned a four-star Built Green certification while taking advantage of improved property close to public transit and bike trails, shopping, restaurants, and some of Seattle’s most popular parks. Families living in the development will be within walking distance of public, charter, and private schools. Habitat’s mission is to assure that everyone has a decent and affordable place to live. In Seattle and King County, Habitat is committed to balancing that mission with environmental concerns.

By acquiring the Capitol Hill property, Habitat assured that the development would be transit oriented. The multi-story condominium construction allows for affordable density on a relatively small footprint in a vital neighborhood. Habitat continually nurtures relationships with architects, manufacturers, and suppliers to reuse green designs and techniques that work, holding costs down for the future Homeowner.

For this project, Habitat was able to install hybrid heat pump water heaters and ductless electric space heating throughout the development, earning it high points for energy efficiency. The project mitigated 95% of the stormwater runoff from the roof and site to improve function and minimize local water and groundwater pollution. The units’ interior materials used low VOC paints and flooring materials as well as assuring proper ventilation for maximum interior air quality. The use of locally sourced and recycled-content materials and achieving a 90% landfill diversion rate of new construction waste helped to minimize the project’s environmental impact.

Qualifying homebuyers for the Capitol Hill condos must finance their purchase with a mortgage. Habitat helps to cover any portion of the projected purchase price not covered by the mortgage, cash down payment, or other down payment help. Habitat SKC inaugurated a black homeownership initiative (BHI) in 2022 in partnership with several Seattle civic organizations that includes a pilot debt remediation program to improve loan eligibility for BIPOC families to start building toward generational wealth. Eleven of the 13 available units on Capitol Hill are already purchased with 5 going to BIPOC homebuyers.

Habitat works with homebuyers to assure the mortgage payments do not exceed 35% of their gross income. Monthly payments for the one, two and three-bedroom Capitol Hill condos range from $1,050 to $2,500. Homebuyers also receive ongoing budget management training in free Habitat classes. Habitat’s formula for affordable homeownership includes sweat equity in the form of volunteer hours. Due to the complexity of the multi-story building, Capitol Hill homebuyers have donated their time to other projects as well as to supporting Habitat’s Re-Stores. Ultimately, the property will be placed in a land trust providing permanent affordability for future generations.

The combination of green construction, close transit, shopping, and schools with affordable homeownership make Habitat for Humanity’s Capitol Hill 11th Avenue condominium homes a formidable prototype for addressing the area’s housing crisis. Habitat, in partnership with GreenCanopy Node, will soon break ground on another project – 17 units in six stories just South of Capitol Hill --that is also planning to achieve a Built Green 4-Star certification.

By Puget Sound Energy

Puget Sound Energy is offering incentives for building above existing energy codes. As time passes, more stringent codes are inevitable. PSE will pay you an incentive to build above code now. If you are already building or considering doing a Built Green® project, don’t leave this money on the table!

 
Work directly with their list of certified home raters—most of whom are Built Green verifiers—to receive your incentive. As part of PSE’s Contractor Alliance Network, these raters are pre-screened, licensed, bonded, and insured, and can guide you through the program participation process.

To get started, visit pse.com/hphomes, contact an approved rater/verifier, or email HPHomes@pse.com. For further information on this or other energy efficiency programs offered at PSE, call an Energy Advisor at 1.800.562.1482, Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

For more information on other new construction program incentives at PSE, check out:
Multifamily new construction • Commercial new construction • ENERGY STAR® manufactured homes