Experimental housing on tap
By Koalani Roberts
Emerald Contributor
A group of University
professors hus designed
three experimental housing
units It hopes will serve as
models for Oregon’s wood
industry as well as inex
pensive student housing.
The duplex-type units
were designed at the (Cen
ter for Housing Innovation,
a faculty research group
begun four years ago. All
will be experiments in
building different types of
factory-produced homos
"Our goal is to help Lane
County develop a pre-fabri
cation industry to build
homes here and ship them
elsewhere," said David
Corner, CHI director. "I
think this absolutely will
happen."
Corner cited Japan and
Hawaii as excellent poten
tial markets because land
and home prices there are
so expensive. Buyers could
save money purchasing a
house shipped from Ore
gon.
"CHI in general is inter
ested in finding ways to
support a sustainable wood
products industry that
doesn’t exploit resources."
said Will Sturges, a re
search assistant at the cen
ter. "We're working on ma
terial efficiency and ways
to got more housing with
less wood."
CHI created the Universi
ty Experimental Housing
Project to research and de
sign different types of in
dustrialized housing.
All units are designed to
be inexpensive, energy effi
cient, accessible to the
physically disabled and
built on small lots to in
crease land use density,
Sturges said.
The three units wens de
signed as part of the Stu
dent Housing Project,
which includes building 20
apartments at 1Hth Avenue
and Agate Street and even
tually rebuilding Amazon
family housing.
Each of the three build
ings consists of two small
two-bedroom, one-bath
room apartments — 750
square feet measured from
outside the walls. They
will be built on a vacant lot
in the hast campus area
near Villard Street
A one-story building will
use single stressed skin
closed panels This means
one solid material with
both structural and insulat
ing properties would be
used for a wail, instead of
the standard stud and
frame construction that
would require added Insu
lution.
A one-and-a-half story
building will use conven
tional wood framing, but
all the parts will la; factory
assembled then construct
ed on site.
The third building will
bo a two-story modular
home, completely built
and assembled in u factory
like; a mobile home, but set
down without the wheels
or trailer. This allows the
homo to meet building
code and neighborhood
zoning requirements of al
most any city.
The modular second sto
ry of this thirii unit will Ih;
set on a first story of con
crete blocks insulated on
the outside and exposed on
the inside. The blcx:ks will
increase energy efficiency
by radiating heat collected
during the day into the
apartment at night.
However. Eugene's mild
climate will make the actu
al energy efficiency of this
construction difficult to de
termine, Corner said.
In addition, Comer said
the pro-fabricated housing
is a design experiment
more than it is a groat fi
nancial savings He said
building 100 units would
be very efficient, hut build
ing only three Is not.
One lesson the designers
learned is they can build
an affordable and economi
cal house, hut outside costs
quickly add up. Sturgos
said.
"It's not us much the de
sign or the product that af
fects the cost so much as
the planning and infra
structure." he said.
For example, the city re
quires they have a concrete
alley access poured to each
unit This driveway will
cost as much as one of the
six apartments. Sturges
said
Also, although housing
density is increased, FWhlt
stl!! requires there he six
separate water meters on
the street with six separate
water tines. Multi-unit
buildings often have one
line on the street, branch
ing off to feed the Individu
al units,
1CHI In general
is Interested In
finding ways to
support a
sustainable
wood products
industry that
doesn’t exploit
resources
Will Sturges,
Center tor Housing
Innovation research
assistant
"We need a lot of redun
dant systems," Sturges
said "There am over-engi
neered requirements we
can't find a way of avoid
ing,"
The cost of the three
buildings. Including con
struction. materials, engi
neering and permits, is ex
pected to be $300,000, Cor
ner said.
University Housing offi
cials do not know how
much the units will rent
for Current family housing
occupants must first agree
on how much of the pro
ject's cost they will absorb
in rent Increases, said Nan
cy Wright, University di
rector of facilities and capi
tal improvements
Ail of the new East cam
pus housing will bo rented
to single graduate students
us well as to student fami
lies.
THE
VERDICT
IS IN! w
TALRAY draws the line
on the recession.
Enjoy the affordable, quality lifestyle
that Talray offers... without breaking
the budget or sacrificing the quality
that you deserve!
10 apartment
and quad locations
to choose from starting at *245.
Talray Holdings
344-9763
1051 West 8th Avenue
344-2816, 344-2657, 485-5867
HEATED
INDOOR STORAGE
'25/monih and up
342-5383
DOWNTOWN
MINI-STORAGE
Chamber* & River Kd
Y y *f t t
UVE IN THE
COUNTRYSIDE
2 SWIM MINI - root s
\Mitia A K<s rrM*n Ki*>m
ACRKS of hark I tie VfUe*
Sl Rl Nt CmwIyarS View*
I K t V A I t hW*»v Uak vi»»e*
AW A KI» W INN IN <» t 4t*Vv. apt n#
Vmi Our SjMfc v-u*
I'ailt
Hi>m V**’ Many With l *rrT*{a»c«
The Countryside
llartow Kd
l all lit, 1417
KIRKWOOD
APARTMENTS
1200 Ferry
* 1 A 2 Bdrm Fum Apts
* Ctoan A Quiet
A Covered Peeking Avail
* $375 & $495
343- 3318
or
344- 3191
JWWWMWWCCWMWWK
| Large 1 |i
bedroom
furnished units
near Music
Building. $385.
Wafer & heat
included.
i
£* KMktimmkI A{MiinMrnl% g
ftHK-«:7rw x
QPYGLASS
You are welcome to come to our
office for a free list of available
rentals. Drive by any locations
that interest you. then call for an
appointment to see the inside.
No Pets Please
345 W. 10th 686-1130
At pHKASA.Nl PAKp t we are now renting and
taking applications
One Bedroom starting at, $335
^ Two Bedroom, $415
& Three Bedroom, $475
DARRYL A TAMMY CRAWFORD 475 LINDALE DR
SPRINGFIELD, OR 97477 747-5411
Manag'd by Western I loritage
WELCOME
TO EUGENE!
At Jennings ^Co we work
with students to find
affordable, convenient, and
comfortable residences. We
have everything from
apartments to houses.
Give ns a call or come by!
We are sure you will find exactly
what you are looking for!
Jennings+Co
PROPERTY MANAGEMENT. INC.
Located inside the
U-Lane-O building,
488 East 11th Ave.