Game Plan

As we are moving into the construction phase of TREE, the third neighborhood at EcoVillage at Ithaca, we want to compare other options to our chosen option of using a single construction management company responsible for all aspects of construction.  Our TREE game plan has been to a) create a community around which community development could take place  b) hire an architect (Coterre) who understands EcoVillage/cohousing development who would create working drawings along with specialty firms, engineering, energy, etc., from which we can construct TREE.  c) hire a contract management company (Lecesse) to estimate construction cost in context of affordable, non-customized, multiple repetative building construction.

We now have a set of drawings and a set of starting construction estimates from Lecesse.  In talking with Lecesse we both are asking if we move forward is this a win-win that both of us want to sign up to do?

Lecesse is an optimal builder when options are minimal, units replicate over and over, models are minimum. Scale is larger to enable affordability by spreading site and other common costs underpinning the project.

The question posed by Lecesse: Is TREE more aligned with a track house building approach as practiced by Ryan?

Other key questions:  Could the project be segmented into three parts:  Site preparation;  houses; SLC with different leads for each? 

This has led us to collect information about construction companies to address these questions.  One scenario is that Lecesse does site prep and the commercial SLC building and the houses are done by local/regional greeen builders. 

The following matrix is a draft illustrating possible scenarios:

	SITE	SLC	Houses	General Manager
Senario 1 *	A	A	A	A
Senario 2	D	C	B	A
Senario 3	A	A	B	A
Senario 4	A	C	B	A
Senario 5	D	C	B	Independent Project Manager
A:  One Construction Management Company responsible for project (e.g., Lecesse) B1:  One builder to build and manage building of all homes (e.g., Ryan) B2:  Multiple builders to address capacity limitations of local building companies B3:  Modular builder(s) to build and manage building all homes C:  One builder to build SLC D:  Excavation/Site Prep Contractor *  Preferred approach if requirements for sustainable, affordable can be met

Belle Sherman - Toby Millman

I spoke with Toby.  He is developing Belle Sherman Cottages which will be modular homes built by Simplex.  He shared with me some lessons learned:

1) simple small modular homes are most cost effective.  Belle Sherman is what he calls middle of the road in its footprint and he plans to use a narrower footprint in the future. 2) The more that can be done at the factory the better you can control cost because it can cut down finish costs  3) The fewer marriage walls the better (where modules come together).  3) to minimize transportation costs from factory to site a simple but essential rule is modules that are under 16 ft wide are most cost effective.

He is interested in seeing EcoVillage and I have set up a meeting on Friday at 9am at FROG Common House.  He graduated from Cornell in 1992 and heard about EcoVillage at the time.  Goals:  Share about EcoVillage.  Talk about his experiences with local construction management and who locally is good.  Talk about his experience preparing the Belle Sherman site and costs.  Talk about his experiences with local builders.  Why modular vs local builders?  Talk about his experiences in sourcing funds for his projects in Ithaca.

2/7/12

Brian Olmstead of Ironwood Builders called back.  Going out of town; recommended calling partner Craig Modisher (passive house trained) at 351-1915.  Spoke with Craig (who had met with Liz Walker last year).  Ironwood tends to do custom homes, and are primarily builders.  Scope and production of TREE is larger than their capacity but offered his services as a consultant/trainings ($75/hr -- 2-3 hrs training subs; approx 1 day for contractor).  Craig emphasized the importance of proper oversight of construction; all subs being watched to achieve goal.  Passive House requires the "whole"-- concept, building, organism, mechanical, shell -- to be working towards same goal.  Craig also believes it is critical for energy modeling (plugging in numbers on spread sheet about heat load and heat source) to make sure we are getting what we are hoping to get.  Craig is an available resource interested in supporting efforts of passive house.

2/6

Called Sunsky Builders again today.  Tried several times to get a person, but unsuccessful.  Left a couple of messages.

2/3/12

2/3/12 Placed a call to Ironwood (very knowledgeable about Passive House) and Sunsky Builders.  Left message on machines to please call back.

Spoke with Liz Walker.  Had previously had Ironwood out to EVI and (Craig?) gave her copy of Passive House book.

Liz interested in learning more about Sunsky.  Suggested asking,
What is the biggest project they've done,
what's the greenest project they've done?
Where have they done construction?
It might be helpful to get some references.