SA306 – Transforming Housing: A Climate-Positive Home

In the United States, single-family homes dominate housing—even as they pose environmental issues with significant carbon emissions from construction and operation. This session will showcase a climate-positive home intended for constrained infill sites within the existing urban fabric.

In partnership with Aro Homes, Olson Kundig will present a strategy utilizing a prefabricated off-site fabrication/on-site assembly strategy. You'll hear how the Aro Home—assembled in 45–90 days—achieves better-than-net-zero energy use with an embodied carbon offset in 15–20 years and gray water reclamation strategies cutting water use by 50%.

Join this session to hear lessons learned from the first built homes and discuss incorporable strategies.

Learning Objectives

  1. Delve into the climate challenges posed by the current housing stock and current typical approach to single family housing designs.
  2. Discover the real-world carbon advantages of a prefabricated off-site fabrication and on-site assembly strategy.
  3. Learn about structural and material choices that can reduce embodied carbon in single family homes.
  4. Gain insights into a combined embodied and operational carbon approach that provides a roadmap to climate neutral housing.