18th Avenue South, Seattle
Builder: Dwell Development, Seattle
Architect: Dwell Design, Seattle
Size: 1,684 square feet
Cost: $260 per square foot
Certifications: Energy Star, Built Green 5 Star

Dwell Development's sustainable homes with a modern design twist have been a hit in the Seattle area, where traditional and Craftsman styles abound, says principal Anthony Maschmedt.

"What sells our projects initially is the cool modern design, it's kind of our trademark," he says. "But it's not a dated or trendy type of modern look, it's a timeless Northwest-oriented style with lots of wood, concrete, and glass."

This Dwell project, four townhomes in an infill development in Seattle’s historic Columbia City neighborhood, had to balance many differing goals: a striking contemporary design, energy efficiency, thoughtful material choices, healthy living, and neighborhood integration.

Through careful design, planning, and execution the development of this 0.38-acre site included accomplishments such as a 90% waste diversion rate and energy performance improvements of 32% beyond code. The house comes with a rough-in system for solar PV that includes a dedicated meter box and conduit to the roof.

Other sustainable features include:
--Energy performance improvements of 34% beyond code
--Located near a light rail line with a Walk Score in the low 80s
--Heating equipment located within the conditioned space
--Energy Star lighting fixtures

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