Overview

Vert – French for green, as in, sustainable development
Vert – English for vertical, as in, life in the vertical

High Level Goal – Executive Summary

Village Vert is intended to provide up to 5 families an affordable, sustainable place to live with like-minded people in a community environment. The emphasis of the community will be on rock climbing and travel, sustainability and green living, gardening and community interaction and involvement.

Village Vert will be structured around two central community items: an organic garden and courtyard, as well as a community building. The organic garden will be tended by all families, as well as provide food for each family throughout the year. The courtyard will give families a comfortable place to eat and relax in good weather. The community building will provide members with a rock climbing gym, workout area, dance/yoga floor, entertainment and a large table and kitchen to share meals at.

To meet sustainability goals, houses in Village Vert will be designed to blend with the natural, surrounding environment. Families will be responsible for generating their own electricity, and for disposing of their own waste. Photovoltaic arrays will be required for each house, as well as composting toilets. Each house will be designed to be comfortable in the summer, and capture sunlight for warmth in the winter, without the use of natural gas, propane or air conditioning.

Location

Proximity to Climbing

Within 15 minutes drive to 100 quality routes ranging from 5.10 to 5.13

Proximity to Population Centers

Within 15 minutes to small town (>100 people)

Within 1 hour to major population center (>50,000 people)

Community

Community Size

No more than 5 home sites, 1 community building, 2 storage/tool sheds, 1 small utility building, small parking lot and 2 rental cabins.

Community Garden

Only organic seeds and products are to be used in the garden. The garden will be watered primarily with natural falling rainwater and water captured and stored in a community owned cistern. This cistern will be plumbed to capture rainwater and graywater from each home.

Community Center/Building

The community building is where families can play, dance, relax, visit, work out and eat together. The building will be structured around the following rooms/functions:

Rock climbing gym
Dance floor and weight bench/workout area
Long table for dining
Entertainment center
Bathroom with shower and toilet

Community Cabin(s)

One cabin will be built on the property by the community. This small cabin will be self-contained with a composting toilet, shower, stove, oven, sink, and small refrigerator. This cabin will be rented out to those interested in community living, or will be scheduled for friends to stay in. Paying guests get priority over friends. Friends are limited to stays of only 2 weeks, unless specifically petitioned and allowed by the community as a whole. Another cabin can be built at a later date.

Community Tool Shed

At least 1 community tool shed will be created to store community owned tools, building materials, etc. Tools must be returned to the shed each night or after completion of work. If tools are needed off-site and over night, they would need to be checked out so the community as a whole knows where their equipment is at.

Shared Tools

The community will share many tools used for building and maintaining the community. Shared tools can even include automotive tools, vacuum cleaners and other household items, at the community member’s discretion.

Community Parking Structures

A parking lot to house up to 15 cars (maximum of 2 automobiles/trailers per household, preferably less) will be created on the premises, away from and behind the houses.

Members have the freedom to build their own garage or parking cover.

Shared Internet

A high speed internet connection will be shared amongst community members. The type of high speed internet connection will be determined based on the location.

Housing

Consistent and Appropriate Architecture

Exterior architecture should be appropriate for the region that is being developed. All houses should have a somewhat consistent look and feel externally. Internally, the builder has freedom to create whatever housing best suits their uses.

External architecture and consistency considerations are to be decided upon by the members of the community. The builder will submit housing elevation, including materials planned for construction. The community members can then review these items and decide if the house meets their vision for consistent and appropriate architecture for the community.

Small Homes

Pad sizes at most 40’ x 40’, with total square footage no more than 1,750 square feet.

Rainwater Harvesting

A community owned cistern will be plumbed to capture rainwater runoff from roofs. This water can be used for watering the garden or even drinking water for member houses (the community member is responsible for plumbing the purification system for their installation if used as potable water source).

Affordable Housing

Individual home-site purchase should be less than $25,000 per member. For building homes, it is the community goal that each member participates in building each other member’s homes. This will help develop the community spirit as a whole. If a member chooses to not owner-build their home, they are responsible for keeping the home design within the parameters set forth by the community vision.

Passive Solar Designs

Homes must be designed to take advantage of solar gain with a southerly exposure. Internal thermal mass will be heated during winter days by the sun through large south facing windows. To keep summer temperatures cool, overhangs will be designed to block sun when it’s high in the sky.

Solar Hot Water

Each home must be equipped with a solar hot water system. This will preheat water, requiring less energy to provide hot water for baths, showers, dishes, etc. It is recommended that on-demand gas powered hot water be used for final heating, however that is up to the discretion of the home builder.

Photovoltaic Solar Power

Each house will be tied to the grid for backup and night-time electrical service only (although grid supplied electricity might be used for construction). Each home will be powered by a solar photovoltaic power source. This power supply will include the solar array and grid-tied inverters. The cost of these systems should be factored into the individual home-owners budget when designing their home.

Graywater Recycling

Graywater will be captured and routed into the community owned cistern.

Composting Toilets

There will be no septic tanks installed in the community, assuming the community graywater recycling plan and composting toilets are approved by local health officials. Instead, each house will use ANSI certified composting toilets such as a Biolet or Clivus Multrim, and graywater will be recycled.

Technology

Houses will be wired with Cat 6 network cable, all connected to a common utility building housing a community owned server, router and modem.

Houses will be wired with multi-line telephone wire.

Houses will be wired with coax cable for television, all wired to a common utility building which can house the connection to the television provider if desired.

Design

Houses must be equipped with either a “green” earthen roof, or a metal roof. If equipped with a metal roof, gutters must be installed to route rainwater runoff into the community cistern.

External construction will be using appropriate technologies for the location. If traditional stick built construction is desired, 2x6” lumber will be used for all external walls. Some recommended general building materials and methods would include aerated autoclaved concrete, rammed earth, cordwood, and earth shelter.