Ecotope provided architectural and lighting design, mechanical specifications, and construction oversight for a sixty unit, low income assisted living center in Butte, Montana.

National Affordable Housing Network

Ecotope designed an energy and resource efficient assisted living center in Butte, Montana. This sixty-unit project was designed to use significantly less energy than required by the Model Energy Code to reduce the annual operating costs of the facility while providing a high degree of occupant comfort. Estimated annual energy costs were reduced to approximately half that of the code baseline.

This project incorporated heat recovery ventilation to reduce energy use and improve indoor comfort during the extremely cold winters experienced at this location. High performance windows and insulation, combined with tight construction detailing also contributed to the low annual energy use at the facility. Energy efficient lighting and day lighting measures were incorporated by Ecotope throughout the facility. All of the energy conservation measures incorporated into the project were evaluated from a life-cycle savings perspective to determine the most appropriate level of energy conservation for the project.

Design of the project involved members of the community, regional housing organizations, and national experts on elderly housing needs. The project incorporates day lit community areas throughout the facility, indoor and outdoor walking routes, and various assisted living services. The entire project was designed and completed within a strict federal housing grant budget, and still incorporates features more typical in mid- and high-range housing, including gas-fired hydronic heat, full ventilation systems, and comfortable lounge and dining areas.

Continental Gardens Assisted Living Center

Ecotope provided architectural and lighting design, mechanical specifications, and construction oversight for a sixty unit, low income assisted living center in Butte, Montana.