PREttyFAB is a prototype for an energy efficient, pre-fabricated housing alternative designed for vacant infill sites in urban neighborhoods. In early 2008 our design for this specific house at 1 Minerva Street in Jersey City won the praise of the city’s zoning and planning boards who likewise saw its potential as the first of many of its kind, providing a viable bridge across the perceived schism between green design and economic viability. This 1600sf residence prioritizes geometry to optimize solar collection, drainage, and passive heating and cooling while adhering to a low budget. Restricted by the small size of the site, our massing solution creatively satisfies the municipal ordinance of a 30 foot rear yard setback which we interpreted to mean a setback for any permeable surface, including a modular green roof of extensive low-impact vegetation. The line at which the roof begins also marks the point at which a portion of pitched roof, covered in photovoltaic panels, is rotated to 30º due south to optimize solar collection and forms a more contemporary take on half of each existing gabled two-family house that lines the street. Pre-cast concrete insulated-panels (PIPs) fabricated by Northeast Pre-cast of New Jersey are utilized as high energy performance structural walls between which the small structure is framed. The energy performance of this house is 30% better than a typical single-family home, making this design viable both in the short and long terms.PREttyFAB received an AIA New Jersey Merit Award for Built Projects in 2009 and a Jersey City Green Awards ‘Project of the Year’ 2010 from Jersey City Redevelopment Agency.
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