Courtesy Studio 804
Fruits of Their Labor Studio 804 students work to build the house in East Lawrence, which is targeting LEED Platinum and Passive House. Many will stay past graduation to finish the project.
There has been no such delay with the current house (the first after a string of projects for the university from 2011 to 2014). Set to be completed in June, the house is already sold—and it isn’t just because of the recovering market. In the East Lawrence, the average closing price is $125,000; the new house sold for more than double that to a buyer who “fits the profile,” Rockhill says, of someone who wants a walkable home and is beginning to think about retirement. “He likes technology, and is very much aware of the sustainable aspects of what we do. It does take a unique profile—somebody who is enlightened about these issues.” With no comparable properties in the area, “I have to be very careful about who I sell to,” Rockhill adds, to make sure the financing comes through.
Rockhill notes that he likes to keep the buildings simple, in part because they are being not just designed, but entirely built by the student teams. But technology still plays a big role. “I like to let the technology guide most of the decisions that we make—when it’s reasonable,” he says. “Years ago, photovoltaics were way too expensive, but this year they’re just about giving them away.”
With limited budgets, the team prioritizes big-ticket items, but windows almost always win. “We can control the thickness of the walls and the insulation, but with windows, you get one chance to get it just about perfect,” Rockhill explains. “So I always spend more money on windows.”
Also on the list are energy recovery ventilators and mini splits, as well as high-quality insulation. “I think back to when we would insulate a house in a day,” he recalls. “Now we spend a week insulating and sealing all the joints.”
It’s getting harder … and that’s a good thing
Despite Studio 804 having eight LEED Platinum structures and three Passive Houses under its belt, “I think it’s getting a little more difficult,” Rockhill says of building to these codes, mostly due to the standards becoming more strict. “Now there’s more assistance, and the standards have increased commensurate with that.”
The community conversations also are getting more sophisticated. “I just met with a group of Passive House enthusiasts, all contractors, builders, and developers,” Rockhill says. “I would never have had that kind of experience five years ago. But these guys are totally jazzed about what we’re doing. Their range of questions was fantastic to see.”
