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City residents plan eco-friendly 'co-housing' project
(by Kara Krekeler - April 01, 2008)
As Earth Day approaches, people across the country are trying to be a bit more ecologically responsible, perhaps by ramping up their recycling efforts or replacing regular light bulbs with more energy-efficient alternatives.
But Central West End residents Tom and Carol Braford are looking a bit further than the little things. The Brafords are in the midst of developing the Culver Way co-housing project on Olive Boulevard just west of Vandeventer, and plan on implementing dozens of eco-friendly systems and building techniques in the 43-unit development.
Founded in Denmark in the late 1960s, co-housing is a residential lifestyle that aims for close-knit neighborhoods through shared spaces and pedestrian-friendly areas. Tom Braford said that while co-housing usually gets attention because of this social mission, it’s also known for its practitioners’ dedication to being environmentally conscious. The Brafords are seeking platinum-level LEED certification for Culver Way, which would make it one of the most environmentally-friendly developments in the country.
While Tom Braford said that some of the most eco-friendly aspects are simply the urban setting and multi-family housing, the project will also incorporate more obvious environmentally efficient features, including a communal two-story greenhouse, solar hot water, solar energy panels, a high-efficiency ground source heat pump, detention planters filled with Missouri-native plants under storm drains and roofs covered in plants, also known as “green roofs.”
“I think green roofs are especially important in St. Louis because it cuts down on the heat island effect” caused by parking lots and brick buildings soaking up heat in the summer and making the city hotter than the surrounding areas, Tom Braford said. “If we can cover the roofs and sidewalls in vegetation, we can cool [the area] and save rainwater for irrigation.”
After the development is open to residents, the Brafords also plan on initiating an extensive recycling project and will be partnering with a local group that will do urban farming in portions of the property that haven’t yet been developed.
While some may think the ambitious ecological plans are unachievable in today’s society, the Brafords argue that the close-knit community created by co-housing lends itself to sustaining environmental projects that often fall by the wayside in society as a whole.
“Most of the emphasis is on the social aspect and the ecological aspect comes out of that,” Tom Braford said. “There’s a real tie between the social side and the ecological side of co-housing. You have a community of support in co-housing.”
While the Brafords have been steadily building interest in the project for more than five years, they’re still a bit uncertain of the project’s timeline. Tom Braford said that he and his wife are currently working on creating a model unit and marketing office, which they plan on having complete by June 22. That day is also the day of the Green Bicycle Tour of the Regional Green Building Conference, which will be held in St. Louis.
After that, they’re hoping for a few more commitments from residents so they can start construction on the first of three planned residential buildings.
But whenever construction starts you can be sure that the Culver Way co-housing development will certainly grow up green.
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