06-24-2009, 03:53 AM
Mikewj,
There is a huge middle ground between rebuilding an old plantation house and all new custom "green construction". We bought a 20 year old house which was average construction for the time, but it was built by a couple who knew what was needed to be comfortable in Hawaii. It is a simple raised ranch with wrap around lanai's, high ceilings, and correct siting for the views and winds. If there is a breath of wind we get it, and the carport under the house gets wonderful convection even when the trades aren't blowing, especially in hottest part of the day. This house didn't utilize any special materials or technology, just sensible design with the place and climate in mind. While not fancy, it is comfortable and affordable. The house next door was built at about the same time and while it wasn't raised as high, it also was built for the climate. It is on the market for under $200,000 as a short sale.
It seems like most of the newest construction was not done with any thought of the site or climate, but you don't have to go all the way back to plantation houses to find a house which works with, instead of against, the environment. And using what is already here has much, much less environmental impact than building new, no matter how "green" the new construction is.
However, I would love to see someone here on the island building modular or portable core units as prefabs that could be brought into a site ready to live in, and then wrap around lanais and sleeping porches added on site. The core units would have all the infrastructure like baths and kitchens and the outer wings would be living spaces. Then people could skip the whole living in a container or a tent while they build part, do the site work while the factory is building your core, bring it into your property, move in and then add on the extra spaces. Most of your work would happen out of the weather and the factory could provide much steadier work than traditional construction. Here the factory could just be a giant covered area.
Carol
There is a huge middle ground between rebuilding an old plantation house and all new custom "green construction". We bought a 20 year old house which was average construction for the time, but it was built by a couple who knew what was needed to be comfortable in Hawaii. It is a simple raised ranch with wrap around lanai's, high ceilings, and correct siting for the views and winds. If there is a breath of wind we get it, and the carport under the house gets wonderful convection even when the trades aren't blowing, especially in hottest part of the day. This house didn't utilize any special materials or technology, just sensible design with the place and climate in mind. While not fancy, it is comfortable and affordable. The house next door was built at about the same time and while it wasn't raised as high, it also was built for the climate. It is on the market for under $200,000 as a short sale.
It seems like most of the newest construction was not done with any thought of the site or climate, but you don't have to go all the way back to plantation houses to find a house which works with, instead of against, the environment. And using what is already here has much, much less environmental impact than building new, no matter how "green" the new construction is.
However, I would love to see someone here on the island building modular or portable core units as prefabs that could be brought into a site ready to live in, and then wrap around lanais and sleeping porches added on site. The core units would have all the infrastructure like baths and kitchens and the outer wings would be living spaces. Then people could skip the whole living in a container or a tent while they build part, do the site work while the factory is building your core, bring it into your property, move in and then add on the extra spaces. Most of your work would happen out of the weather and the factory could provide much steadier work than traditional construction. Here the factory could just be a giant covered area.
Carol
Carol
Every time you feel yourself getting pulled into other people's nonsense, repeat these words: Not my circus, not my monkeys.
Polish Proverb
Every time you feel yourself getting pulled into other people's nonsense, repeat these words: Not my circus, not my monkeys.
Polish Proverb