Modern, Green and Affordable – Who Says You Can’t Have It All?

A Philadelphia development firm tackles the challenge of building green, modern and affordable

By Felicia Oliver, Senior Editor
November 29, 2007
HousingZone

A Philadelphia development company has taken on the challenge of building a green home with a modern design that’s affordable. Affordable, as in the cost to build will top off at $100,000. 

At least that’s the plan postgreen – a developer of updated green, affordable buildings and homes in Philadelphia's urban neighborhoods – has. This particular project’s goal is the completion of two small, two-bedroom homes that will achieve LEED Silver under the USGBC’s recently developed rating system for homes. It will be postgreen’s first residential development. 

One of the homes will be the subject of a case study to demonstrate that a modern, green home can be built this inexpensively without sacrificing design or comfort. 

"We have assembled a high-quality team that does not make compromises to save costs,” said Chad Ludeman, president of postgreen. “If we are able to accomplish the goals of the $100,000 house project, then most anyone in any area of the U.S. should be able to do the same." 

The development team has set up a blog — www.100khouse.com — to document the entire process and receive feedback. A recent entry (Nov. 20) indicates that they’ve already hit one snag — the local financial institution they vetted extensively reneged on its commitment to provide the construction loan. 

The main reason given was that the bank did not believe they could build one house for $100,000, and the other house for slightly more. According to the blog entry, “They were sure we would go over budget like many of the other developers they have chosen to finance recently.” 

Undaunted, the search for another banker continues. 

The homes will be designed by Interface Studio Architects and built by Level 5 Construction, both based in Philadelphia. 

The sales price of the homes has yet to be determined, but is currently targeted in the $200,000 to $250,000 range. Click here for more details on the design and project. 

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