Tuesday, October 11, 2005

TrailerWrap project commences

TrailerWrap


Mapleton Home Association (MHA) (a Colorado 501c3), Thistle community Housing and the University of Colorado's Environmental Design Department have entered into a relationship to remodel and recover an older mobile home using experimental and environmentally friendly materials and technologies. The project is part of a Design-build course offered by Professor Michael Hughes at the University of Colorado, who describes the endeavor, offered through his class, as this:

TrailerWrap explores the potential for providing affordable housing through the adaptive reuse and re-cyling of existing mobile homes. Addressing issues of sustainability and energy efficiency the TrailerWrap project seeks to create exciting, small-scale, and affordable architecture with a social and environmental conscience.


The initial demonstration project is staring in October 2005 on lot 81 of the Mapleton Mobile Home Park located between Folsom, Valmont and Mapleton in Boulder, Colorado.

This project will experiment with ways to upgrade an existing mobile home in an environmentally sound manner by re-wraping it in energy efficient materials and re-doing the interior in a cost effective, ecological way. This first project will implement a strawbale exterior. The roof will be slanted to catch the sun and will also provide support for the straw bale (no straw bale foundation can be attached to the ground at Mapleton Mobile Home Park, according to city of Boulder zoning restrictions currently in force. The need to add hanging support for a wall might not apply under different zoning circumstances in other areas).


This is a demonstration project that will result in a finished, desirable and energy-efficient unit. CU is providing grants and student labor, Thistle is providing direct grant funding and assistance, and the MHA is providing the home, as well as free lot rent. All groups will share in the sale of the home at completion.

History: Thistle was approached by Michael Hughes, a teacher at the University of Colorado's Environmental Design Department, about the possibility of working in the park using techniques they initially tried on the Red Feather Indian Reservation. Bill Windsor (of Thistle) contacted Kathryn Alexander, Jonathan Machen and other members of the MHA, and the relationship was born.

CU is interested in being able to:
Give the students actual field experience
Experiment with environmentally friendly materials and designs
Develop a long-term relationship so that this kind of project could happen on a continuous basis over several years.

MHA is interested in:
Providing housing on its empty lots
Providing residents with up grade options, such as TrailerWrap
Maintaining or improving the look of the homes in the park
Maintaining or improving the financial viability of the park

Thistle is interested in:
Maintaining or improving the financial viability of the park as well as providing affordable housing.


Pictures:

MHA's acquired home on lot 81. MHA has insured it and is paying for a permanent tie-down.







Here is one model of the several that the CU Environmental Design students have proposed.

































from left to right: Bill Windsor, Thistle; Jonathan Machen, MHA, Willem Van vilet, CU, and Michael Hughes, CU.


Below is a portion of the development agreement, signed September 29, 2005

DEVELOPMENT AGGREEMENT BETWEEN

THE UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO

AND

MAPLETON HOME ASSOCIATION

AND

THISTLE COMMUNITY HOUSING


THIS Agreement (“Agreement”) is entered into this 29th day of September, 2005 between The Regents of the University of Colorado, a body corporate, for and on behalf of the University of Colorado at Denver and Health Sciences Center and the Children, Youth and Environments Center for Research and Design in the College of Architecture and Planning (hereinafter referred to as “UCDHSC” or “University”) and the Mapleton Mobile Home Association (hereinafter referred to as “MHA”) and Thistle Community Housing (hereinafter referred to as “TCH”). UCDHSC, MHA, and TCH herein after are referred to collectively as “the Parties”.


RECITALS

WHEREAS the Parties desire to improve an existing unoccupied mobile home as part of a special demonstration at the Mapleton Mobile Home Park (CU Demonstration Project at Mapleton) and

WHEREAS the goal of this demonstration is to educate the public, design professionals, contractors, etc. of the feasibility of creative design and material use to substantially improve older mobile home units in terms of livability, sustainability and energy efficiency and

WHEREAS the Parties desire to form a Project Management Committee to guide the implementation of the project, oversee the budget, and approve expenditures and

WHEREAS the Project Management Committee will consist of one voting member from each of the three partners, MHA, the University, and TCH and

WHEREAS MHA desires to obtain the advice and assistance of the UCDHSC College of Architecture and Planning to design, construct, and evaluate the feasibility of improvements to older mobile homes and

WHEREAS UCDHSC desires to enter into an agreement to provide design services along with advice and assistance for MHA as part of its educational program for its students and as part of its commitment to community involvement in the State of Colorado;

THEREFORE, with intent to be legally bound, and in consideration of the covenants and promises hereinafter made, the Parties understand and agree as follows:


I. Scope of Work


A. The following generally describes the roles and responsibility of each party:
MHA – MHA is the owner of the unit being used for the project and will manage the lot on which the unit is located. MHA will waive lot rent for 12 months following the signing of this agreement. MHA will participate in Grant fundraising needed to cover the hard and soft costs to improve the mobile home according to the Project Goal. Upon completion of the demonstration period, MHA will sell the improved mobile home. MHA will be a member with one vote of the Project Management Committee.


UCDHSC – The University (“University” in Section I.A is defined as the students in the School of Architecture and Planning with supervision by Assistant Professor Michael Hughes and Professor Willem Van Vliet) will advise MHA on the design and improvement of the existing mobile home located on the site located at Lot #81 in the Mapleton Mobile Home Park at 2635 Mapleton Ave., Boulder, Colorado. The University will provide design services and will assist MHA to obtain and coordinate professional design engineering, electrical contracting, and plumbing contracting. The University will assist MHA to obtain applicable municipal permits and coordinate the construction management of the project. The University will provide labor through a student internship program during the construction process.


The design and construction of the project will take place on and off the site during the 12 months following the signing of this agreement.


The University will participate in Grant fundraising needed to cover the hard costs to improve the mobile home according to the project design. The University will contribute grant funds only and will not assume any liability for financing the project beyond the grant funding acquired at the time of this contract. The University estimates that the amount of Grant funding currently available to cover the hard and soft costs related to the project will be approximately $14,000. The University will be a member with one vote of the Project Management Committee.


TCH – TCH is the owner of the land on which the Project is located. Following the use of the grant funds above, TCH will contribute capital in an amount up to $16,000 needed to cover the hard and soft costs to improve the mobile home according to the Project Goals. Included in this amount is a $1,650 reimbursement to MHA for initial moving and tie-down expenses. Upon request, TCH will provide technical assistance to both CU and MHA regarding development and finance. TCH will be a member with one vote of the Project Management Committee.

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