This is one of the Innovation Credits we hope to have blessed by LEED during the Certification process for this project.
Intent: Reduce the amount of development to the site by creating shared use agreements for amenities or utilities.
Proposed requirement for compliance:One of the strategies for our project was to reduce the amount of development to the site by creating shared use agreements for amenities or utilities with the Superior National Forest Lake Homes, (SNFLH), (of which we are currently part owners of one of the Lake Homes). The Home Owners rent out the condos when they are not using them to those that want to recreate in a silent sport, eco-tourist setting.
We especially wanted to eliminate additional development to the Lake Shore so our agreement with the Lake Home Association is we will, from this point forward pay 20% for future upkeep, development and maintenance of the Lake Shore amenities, (dock, sauna, fire pit, boat house, boats and trails to the lake shore). We will also be contributing to the ski trail maintenance and snow shoe trail maintenance in conjunctions with the National Forest Lodge property owners, which is a private winter recreation resort with which we have drive and assess easements.
The entire combination of properties, National Forest Lodge, Superior National Forest Lake Homes and our Property have conanance on the properties to restrict the use of the properties to non motorized recreational sports, or what we have referred to as silent sports. The properties are surrounded by the Superior National Forest and are only 5 miles as the crow files to the “BWCA” Boundary Waters Canoe Area, a Federally protected Wilderness Area that is also a non motorized wilderness area.
To encourage and bring awareness to the need strive for a zero waste ecolocial system, we built a new recycling and waste management building on the property of the SNFLH’s. We have an agreement with the Home Owners Association that we will share in the waste management costs with them so again we do not add to the site development in creating our own.
Another attempt to reduce site development included developing a shared access with the already built roads into the National Forest Lodge and SNFLH sites. In lieu of building a 400 foot road to access the site from Highway One, we built a 110 foot road from the road that existed for NFL and SNFLH sites. There were many older growth read and white pines that were spared approaching the site planning in this fashion. Road maintenance will also be shared with the adjoining properties.
Finally, we installed conduit for a power line and a communications line between our new eco home and the SNFLHs to allow us to have a future opportunity to support the Lakes Homes with Green Energy should we be able to produce enough reduce the electrical loads for the Lake Homes in the future. It will also provide for a little bit of back up generation should we want to provide this in the Lake Home off of our battery storage system included in our design of our Lake Home. Additionally we will be able to use the satlite communication system already provided for the Lake Homes again reducing the need for more dishes and equipment. We will also share in these cost with the Lake Homes to help off set the cost for all property owners.
Proposed documentation to demonstrate compliance:Site plans and property descriptions, governance agreements, and photos of installation of Waste Management Facility and power lines to the Superior National Forest Lake Homes.
Description and estimate of the benefit or impact provided by the proposed measure:Between 15, 000 sq-ft to 20,000 sq-ft less site was developed due to the measures described above. Encouraging the recycling of waste through ease of accessibility, operation and maintenance will benefit the environment by improving and educating others to make unwanted or used material a zero waste proposition. By reducing the need for duplicity of materials or equipment we will be reducing the overall embodied energy required for this project.
