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|
 PATHChat
| SUBJECT: |
RE: Affordable Green Developments
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| FROM: |
DEAN YOUNGKEIT
youngkeit@deseretonline.com
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| DATE: |
6/19/1999 3:20:00 PM |
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Dear John Katz,
The biggest portion of a rural area new house cost is
the property. There should be
legislation that (20% to 50%, depending on the local
demand) of rural housing be
high density individual houses on lots sized between
1/4 and 1/2 the otherwise
minimum lot size. These lots will be priced at that
same fraction of the going rates.
The second largest portion of a new house cost is the
price of the structural shell.
About 18 years ago, The U.S. Forest Service had a
demonstration program for 2
different "optimization" systems for saving lumber and
labor. They had another one
recently for "skinny studs". None of these programs
caught on. The biggest reason is
that contractors are already successful at doing what
they are doing. HUD and
NAHBRC are all wrapped up in minor and obvious
innovations that will not provide
the "truly low cost housing that you seek" Your quest
is noble, but you seek
improvements from the wrong gurus. You need gurus of
the 3 U.S. Forest service's
orphaned ideas. The USFS is no longer pushing in the
arenas where they have found
success. They have "groupthink" that the contractor
rejection was valid.
All of the remaining cost giants have technologies that
are only 20% to 80% correct
The best way to get over these obstacles is to
legislate for emerging technologies to
be used by military units involved in helping housing
recovery from extreme weather,
earthquakes, and war. Their work should be focused on
panelized and modular
approaches with portable factories. Officers
supervising these will also be trained to
be private contractors, recognize the best, and retire
from the military and go into
private business competing with existing contractors.
I believe in change, The guru's you have been following
have the charter to recognize
"supposed" risk, and place it's value over change.
In other words there is no politically correct nor
green friendly pursuant that has
a broad spectrum of of objectives. You seem to be
seeking this role. Take my
blessings for your success.
Dean Youngkeit
21 North 100 East
Willard, Utah 84340-0041
(435) 734-0681
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 |
Partnership for Advancing
Technology in Housing (PATH)
451 7th Street, SW, Rm. 8134
Washington, DC 20410-0001
Telephone: 202 708-4370 Fax: 202 708-5873
E-mail: pathnet@pathnet.org |
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