One of the first issues to be tackled was the reduction of exterior surface area. By changing the module layout, the surface to volume ratio was reduced 12%. Obviously, a straight rectangular layout with only 4 corners would have formed the most efficient surface to volume. However, by using the current layout, we were able to add more architectural interest and create a more flowing circulation path through the house.
The initial design idea for the module concept was creating each module based on a 4 foot grid. The reason being, sheets of building material most commonly come in 4 foot by 8 foot sheets. Therefore, constructing each module would produce less waste and lead to a more efficient construction process. However, when the initial design was developed, this 4 foot grid was only seen in the dimensions of the modules, know where else. In order to return to the 4 grid, the modules were offset and laid out based on this grid system.
The module shift created several other benefits to the design as well. By decreasing the exterior surface area of the walls, the shift also increased the available roof area for solar panels. An additional 3 solar panels were added due to this increase. To learn more about the design of the solar panels, see the “ELEMENT Design Development: Solar Panels” entry.
