Sustainability

MDA won silver in the "2008 Energy Value Housing Award," awarded by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), for Nevada City Cohousing.

As architects, McCamant & Durrett Architects have an unwavering commitment to sustainability within a budget. These are examples of typical features included in their projects:

• Urban infill sites located near mass transit
  
• Sustainably harvested framing lumber
  
• Sustainable flooring materials:  bamboo plank, linoleum and wool carpet
  
• Pre-engineered wood ceiling and roof trusses, and siding panels
• Advanced framing techniques minimize use of lumber
  
• Passive solar orientation and shading
  
• Slab on grade foundations and gypcrete flooring systems provide thermal mass
  
• Radiant flooring heating systems
  
• Low water and energy use appliances and fixtures
  
• Compact fluorescent fixtures
  
• Fly ash in concrete
  
• High R-value insulation at slab perimeter, in walls and attics
  
• Wet blown recycled cellulose insulation
  
• 5/8” gypsum board
  
• Low-E² windows
  
• Pervious pathways and paving
  
• Tectum recycled acoustic panels
  
• Photoelectric smoke detectors
• Low VOC adhesives, sealants and paints
• Active solar heating
• Responsible water use
• Passive cooling
• Waste stream management
• Permaculture landscape principles
• But most importantly a well functioning community – with a functioning community you can achieve any goal