Page 39 - Green Builder November Issue Codes Update

From urban-infill residence to
off-the-grid retreat, The Arc
House is at home anywhere

JIM GREGORY, FOUNDER of for West Coast states first.
Shelter Dynamics, likes to call “Shipping and logistics pretty much dictate that we stay west of
The Arc House a “demonstration
of a direction” in housing. Its the Rockies and south of Seattle,” says Gregory. “However, we are
small footprint, independence looking at the potential for kits or partnerships that might help meet
from the grid and versatile design make it the demand in other areas.”
an ideal solution for urban, suburban and
rural settings. The Arc House can serve as Shipping requires a special permit and—depending on the
a primary residence for a single person jurisdiction—at least one pilot car, sometimes two. The buildings
or a couple, or it can be used as a retreat, are set with a crane, which can drive up the cost if the site is remote.
vacation home or “mother-in-law” unit.
Clusters of Arc Houses can create small Regardless of its destination, each Arc House must be built
communities, based on the cooperative according to approved plans and meet the standards of the California
housing model, in which each household enjoys private space but Factory Built Housing Code. For his first prototype, Gregory made the
also shares common areas such as courtyards and gardens. curved beams that form the skeleton of the structure himself, using
3/8-inch strips of structurally rated Douglas fir glued together with
THE FACTORY ADVANTAGE marine epoxy. These “epoxy-lams” were so strong, they exceeded the
The Arc House is factory built and transportable, giving it flexibility testing machine’s capacity. Now he is having glu-lams made by a third
in its ultimate destination. Gregory envisions his product as a solution party, but they—and the structure—are still exceptionally strong.

“As a business, we must make Gregory plans to build Arc Houses in a “tent factory” near his
money to be sustainable— home in Ridgefield, Calif. Each unit is inspected in the factory by
which, for many, is the ultimate a third-party inspection agency—in this case, RADCO Plan Review
scorecard. Our goal is to pass a and Inspection Services. In addition, Gregory developed and must
higher test, and that is to only maintain a quality control program to ensure the process is replicated
do things that will benefit the with each new unit. The dwellings must also meet the standards of
future of mankind.” local jurisdictions for snow and wind loading, fire resistance, setbacks
and other criteria.
– Jim Gregory, Shelter Dynamics

www.greenbuildermedia.com November/December 2016 GREEN BUILDER 37