MC² HOUSE (2006)

‘M’, is multi; that the earth has 6.8 billion people.
‘C’, is that we design for the common good and cultural diverseness.
‘E’ is that our objective is energy/environmental enlightenment.

Taken together it is our design response to a 2006 affordable/sustainable housing competition, sponsored by The Toronto and Region Conservation Authority and the Design Exchange. It received the ‘Green Innovation Award’. It is designed for effectiveness in affordability, energy use, livability and sustainability.

Affordability
The basic house is modest, compact, cube-like size. Despite 4 bedrooms it’s planned not to exceed 1975 square feet in size. Simplicity and functionality rule as the planning is founded on principles of old time home economics, modern day permaculture, as well as natural laws. The home can be changed with minimal intervention, subdivided into two or even three separate dwellings under one roof.

Ageing in Place
It accommodates the aged; doorways, hallways and bathrooms are sized for wheelchair accessibility. A personal elevator in the main house, located to displace a portion of the kitchen’s centre counter island (or pantry storage area), permits 2nd floor access to the bedrooms and bathrooms.

Ambient Resource Usage
The MC² house uses sunlight as its primary heat source, and a variety of approaches to naturally cool the house. These approaches include exterior sun shading, a white reflective roof, and a passive cooling chimney connected to underground umbilicals that bring in air at 10 degrees Celsius. There is a built-in “living wall” for air purification, a grey water treatment system, and a rainwater retrieval system on the exterior.

Thermal Energy
Four roof top solar boilers heat the domestic hot water. It follows that less demand is placed on the societal infrastructure. In fact the consumption is low enough to not require the natural gas grid.

Grid-tied Power System
The building’s electricity will be generated by a grid tied 3040 photovoltaic system. It is possible to have an Energy co-op model that pays homeowners “rent” for using roofs to generate power; this provides capital funding for renewable technologies paid back through energy sales. In community settings, net energy is exported to and imported from the grid through community distribution systems.

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