SIP TINY HOMES VILLAGE ALBUQUERQUE, NM

2021 SIPA Building Excellence Award Entry

Tiny Homes Village
Albuquerque, NM 87107

Participant information:

Company Name: Enercept
Contact Name: Jon Wagar, Roberta Bartel, or Joe Pasma
3100 9th Ave SE
Watertown, SD 57201
Phone: 605-882-2222
Email Address: rbartel@enercept.com
Website: www.enercept.com

Category: Single Family 'Small House' under 900 sq. ft.

High Performance: Yes

Project information

Project Name:  Bernalillo County Tiny Homes Village
Albuquerque, NM 87107

Date Completed: December 2020

Dimensions of building (all floors of multi-story building): 10' x 12'

Total sq. ft. of conditioned space: 120 sq. ft.

Built By: Epic Mountain Construction
Contact Name: Mike Brown
9120 Ventura Ct NE
Albuquerque, NM 87122

Panels Manufactured By: Enercept SIPs

Designed By: Baker Architecture & Design P. C.
Contact Name: Mark Rae Baker
505 Central Ave NW; Ste E
Albuquerque, NM 87102

Total sq. ft. of conditioned space: 120 sq. ft.

How did SIP construction help you get this job? New Mexico's Bernalillo County and the City of Albuquerque in 2016 began searching for ways to house its transitional homeless. Enercept Independent Dealer David Cappel, a Realtor and entrepreneur in Albuquerque and advocate of ecologically based home building, presented an ecological solution - SIP construction.
At Bernalillo County's request, the architect specified SIP construction for the floor, walls, and roof.

SIP wall thickness and core material: 6" wall panels with EPS insulating core

SIP roof thickness and core material: 8" roof panels and 8" floor panels with EPS insulating core

Describe the benefits of using SIPs on this project. Did SIPs help save time, labor, construction costs, or energy?
The Tiny Homes were built by volunteers from the local carpenters union. Using SIPs was an easy, effective way to quickly build 30 housing units.
The Tiny Homes are very tight and energy efficient.

Describe any innovative design elements or structural engineering involved:
The tiny homes were designed for optimum use of space and efficiency. Each tiny home is wired for electricity is attached to a sprinkler system, but does not have indoor plumbing. The one-room homes have a queen-size bed, open face closet, storage shelves, wall-mounted heating/cooling unit, built-in desk, clerestory window, two other windows, and private front patio. The homes encircle a satellite bathroom/shower building, and communal village house containing additional bathrooms/showers, kitchen, pantry, living room, laundry room, and office space.

Blower door test results: 2.67 ACH50; 41 CFM50 (+/- 0.7%),

Describe the HVAC system used on the project:
Mitsubishi, wall mounted mini-splits

Describe any other energy-saving materials used in the building envelope other than SIPs. List U-values of windows used and the U or R-value  of any insulation materials:
JELD-WEN fixed vinyl insulated glass windows with a U-factor of 0.33

Please list any sustainable materials or design features not listed above, such as recycled materials, low-VOC finishes, landscaping, etc.:
Landscaping will include community garden space and native trees and vegetation.

Any additional comments on the project:
The cost of the Tiny Homes Village project is about $3.4 million, most of which came from Bernalillo County. The Tiny Homes Village is located on a formerly weed-strewn 1.3 acre lot adjacent to the Albuquerque Indian Center in Southeast Albuquerque - who manages the day-to-day operations of the housing development. Residents will be allowed to live in the tiny homes for up to two years while they take advantage of available social programs - those who are able will be expected to re-enter the workforce or get job training.

See how well SIPs can work for affordable housing: