Sustainable Homebuilding in Asheville | Rehabilitating a Landfill Site Into a Beautiful, Energy-Efficient Home

Haith House is a unique home we built in West Asheville with the intent to sell on the market. It’s a small home, designed to feel open and welcoming. 

The original plan for this project was much more complex, but due to the site being used as a dumping ground over the decades, the soil was unsuitable for such a design. However, this challenge presented us with the unique opportunity to rehabilitate the land that the house is built on- rather than to disturb the environment, which often happens in traditional home building.

We had to level the land, and to create a very sturdy foundation in soil that was loose and disrupted when we began. 

In addition to this, we needed to keep the house relatively lightweight. Our challenge then became to create space that still felt contemporary and comfortable, all while staying relatively small. As a result, the footprint of the house is modest – 24’ wide by 32’ deep. 

We also decided to experiment with something new. Rather than using traditional on-site framing, in this project we used a prefabricated panelized system. This was a first for the office. This allowed for minimal disturbance on the site. It also miraculously allowed the house to be vertical within a matter of a couple days. However, this system admittedly required adjustments once installed. 

At the entry there is a double-height, plywood clad stairwell, lit by tall windows above the front door.

This home, like many of the homes we build, is insulated beyond code requirements to retain heat in the winter, and to stay cool in the summer without expending excess energy. It also includes high-efficiency mechanical systems, making it net-zero ready. The roof is designed perfectly for the addition of solar panels. If the buyer decides to install them, this house can create as much energy as it consumes, making it incredibly sustainable. 

Turning away from the stair on the main level takes you past the first bedroom (or home office) and half bath, and into the living/dining/kitchen space. Windows in this space look out onto the side- and backyard, and strategically avoid views onto the covered deck, which is accessed past the dining area. 

Windows in this space look out onto the side- and backyard, and strategically avoid views onto the covered deck, which is accessed past the dining area. Upstairs, there is the full bathroom, two bedrooms, and a laundry closet. Skylights punctuate the upper level, bringing sunlight into all areas of the house.

When you look downstairs from the upper level, you are immediately welcomed out into the world. The two story window brings in ample light, even on a cloudy day like in the photo below.

This home has a private feeling of being settled into nature due to its strategic placement. At the same time, its central location makes it easy to access all the nearby cafes and events.

Building this home has been rewarding- now instead of a landfill site, the neighborhood gets to look at this unique home. This project also gave us a learning experience. Build with prefabricated walls for the first time, and working with a different type of site allowed us to work with different design constraints to create a small home a bit different from our other projects.

Interested in building with us? Schedule a free consultation with us here!