Materials & Construction
The compact house is designed for off-site manufacture. This ensures material reductions and efficiencies, rapid production, and a degree of accuracy not always attainable in the field. Two modular shells built off-site were delivered and joined on-site; roof sections, hinged for transport, were raised and married on-site. Advanced framing techniques resulted in a 17.5% reduction in lumber, increased insulation, and decreased thermal bridging. Off-site shell construction and panelized, prefabricated and modular units led to a 70% diversion of construction waste.
A ventilated rain-screen façade resists moisture-related decay while the airspace, combined with external and internal insulation, reduces heat transfer. Natural, durable materials that improve with time and weathering resonate with the historic context and include locally sourced Atlantic white cedar, steel with a patina eco-coating, salvaged white oak flooring, and recycled oak truck bed liner. Taut detailing lends a contemporary expression to traditional forms and materials.
Low- and no-VOC glues, paints and finishes were carefully controlled, critical to air quality given the tight envelope and immediate occupancy inherent in manufactured housing. Close collaboration and careful research by designers and modular plant spec-writers led to improved product supply chain management to realize toxicity and environmental material goals.