We provide products and services for the next generation of housing.

We focus our work utilizing readily available, cost-effective, proven best practices. 

 

By creating well-designed solutions with standardized construction details and specifications, we’re here to assist the necessary and immediate transformation of housing and home building.

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We design ready-to-build zero net energy homes. 

• Design drawings can be downloaded from our website free of charge.

• We create each design by developing the building size, form and layouts of spaces and windows to maximize use of the sun’s energy and minimize the building energy requirements. 

• We integrate the building services (heating and cooling, ventilation, plumbing and other electrical needs) to create an efficient and harmonious system.

• New designs for zero-energy JUST HOMES can be commissioned.

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We offer services to support the advancement and widespread implementation of green construction practices.

• Technical assistance including but not limited to building energy modeling, existing conditions assessments, project and program planning and development 

• Curriculum development in green construction theory and practice 

• Education and workforce training in green building and design thinking 

• Industry and Academic Research focused on climate-appropriate building and equity 

• Collaboration with other organizations engaging in sustainable housing development, economic and environmental justice efforts, or policy that aligns with our mission

We sell licenses to use our designs, presentation drawings, and construction documents to public and private entities. 

• Licenses to build a single home are sold for a fixed fee, issued with the construction documents (plans and specifications).

• Licenses for use of our Standard Details Packet and Standard Specifications for use on projects not designed by Just Housing are also offered for sale.

• We offer tiered pricing. Licenses are sold at lower cost to nonprofit organizations. 

• We also offer discounts for multiple licenses, so go ahead - BUILD A SUBDIVISION OF JUST HOMES!

 

A set of construction documents includes “plans,” a full set of architectural drawings suitable to guide construction, and accompanying specifications. Specifications include lists of suggested materials and products.

 

Builders and others who purchase licenses for construction documents and have built or intend to build JUST HOMES can also purchase licenses for design presentation drawings and use the design drawing images to advertise their JUST HOMES projects. 

 

A set of design presentation drawings includes floor plans, exterior elevations, and a 3-dimensional color rendering.

We’ve done our homework. Marrying the best of theory and practice, we standardize robust, high performance, environmentally sound construction assemblies (walls, roof, foundation, mechanical systems), details and specifications. 

 

We’re not trying to test new products and methods; we’re using PROVEN BEST PRACTICES. Our construction standards and specifications have been reviewed, tested and vetted by expert builders, industry partners, and building science specialists.

 

We’ve purposely selected familiar assemblies and materials, readily available in most locales. There is no “one size fits all” in green building, but by using an integrated design approach we can get to “one size fits most.” JUST HOMES are designed to use less than a third of the energy the same home built to code would use. An on-site solar energy system can produce all the required energy for the home, making the house zero net energy.

 

By designing JUST HOMES with familiar materials and standardized assemblies and details, we reduce the learning curve to build to this standard. We provide comprehensive building documents and specifications, to help ensure the success of each building project. 

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An energy calculation is undertaken for each design to optimize the performance and estimate the renewable energy system size to bring the building to zero net energy operation. We model each design using climate data from Climate Zone 7 in northern Minnesota. If the design meets our zero energy goal in that extreme climate, we’re confident it will work in any cold climate.

 

Our plans and specifications are thorough and comprehensive, and include performance notes and detailed quality requirements. We also offer in-house technical assistance and are available for questions from license holders.

 

We encourage builders to seek third-party verification and certification of their work. Third-party verification provides impartial confirmation that the requirements are being met. Certification provides third-party designation of the project as meeting all of the defined Green New Deal Home standards and requirements for high performance and zero net energy operation.

In Minnesota, third party verification and certification can be obtained through the Minnesota Center for Energy and the Environment or Minnesota Power’s New Homes Program