Building Around Nature

Healthy for All
While not a traditional element of conservation building, healthy homes are good for both human health and the health of the environment. The Diamond Lake Woods development is the first American Lung Association Health House neighborhood in the Midwest. Built by Christian Builders, this neighborhood is only the third in the United States to meet ALA’s strict requirements for indoor air quality. During the building process, independent inspectors perform site inspections and testing is also done upon completion of each home. “Everything is tested to be sure that what you tell the homeowner is done has been done, and if problems are found, corrections are made,” says Brad Richardson, president of Christian Builders. “The filtration systems that ALA requires clean the air substantially better than other systems.”

Richardson’s crew also does everything it can to prevent radon from getting into the home. “Plus we put a mitigation system in if radon were ever to get in,” he says. “And every home we do is an Energy Star home,” a designation given by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Homes that meet the criteria are at least 30 percent more energy efficient than homes built according to the 1993 national Model Energy Code, or 15 percent more efficient than state energy code, whichever is more rigorous. “We’re trying to be a proactive builder. The public is going to demand something that is better than average, something that is healthier,” says Richardson. “And I sleep better at night knowing I have air exchange and filter systems. It’s the right thing to do.”

Green building
Green building practices, while also not a requirement of conservation developments, help protect the environment on a broader scale, and aspects of the green building movement are frequently seen in these developments. “Green building materials still cost a little more than conventional materials,” says Dahl. “So you have to be leaning heavily in the direction of the conservation development movement to consider green building materials and practices.” When completed, many homes in these developments will likely incorporate green building features in their design.

The wood floor of Inspiration’s nature center, for instance, is recycled wood shelving from the former Montgomery Ward store in St. Paul’s Midway neighborhood. Other green features of the building include carpeting made from recycled pop bottles, concrete sinks and flooring, and low-VOC paints.

In Portico on the Green, Waters is installing shared driveways to cut down on hard surfaces. And one home in the Cannon Bluffs development is a total concrete house, says Ingles, which substantially reduces energy costs.

Open Space
High-density building and smaller lots are key to preserving natural landscapes, habitats, and recreational open space, says Wachholz, whose Spirit of Brandtjen Farm development preserves one-third of the development’s acreage in open land, mostly recreational space that includes parkland and a lake, while still managing to support 2,109 housing units. “More efficient and smart use of the land provides for more open space,” he says. “The ultimate number of units in the Spirit development is capped, so the more efficient we are, the more open space we preserve.” The Spirit development will eventually connect with the company’s Cobblestone Lake development to create an experience similar to the Minneapolis Chain of Lakes trail system.

While all of the developments have some type of trail system, fun plays a prominent role in Tamarack Point, but with an environmental twist. “This property is for people who like to cross country ski, bike, hike, watch birds, and connect with nature,” says Burg. Tamarack has two saunas, and in an added effort to retain the wilderness experience and protect wildlife habitat, including undisturbed shoreline for nesting loons, Tamarack’s association prohibits owners from using jet skis on the lake and all-terrain vehicles on the property.

Such concerted efforts among homebuyers, developers, and local communities to preserve the area’s remaining natural landscapes help ensure that Minnesota’s precious natural resources are available for future generations to enjoy.