Reposted with permission from Native News Network
Big-D Construction has worked with DesignBuildBLUFF for several years by donating materials to create sustainable homes on the Navajo Reservation in Bluff, Utah.
DesignBuildBLUFF is a non-profit organization that gives architecture students at the University of Utah and the University of Colorado a chance to design and build new sustainable homes for deserving Navajo families.
The most recent of these projects to which Big-D contributed, the Raine House, was completed in December of 2012. This 1,200 square foot home included thermal insulated concrete, reclaimed Cedar Fence exterior finish, and passive solar orientation for heating and cooling. One of DesignBuildBLUFF’s most challenging homes to date, it was also one of their most rewarding projects.
Located 30 miles north of Bluff outside the reservation, the site of the Raine House lacked electricity during construction. The relative inaccessibility of the site gave the students the opportunity to explore the nature of prefabrication through the lens of DesignBuildBLUFF while exploring alternative energy solutions.
