This Week's Find: A Custom, Compostable Capitol Hill Alley House
✉️ Want to forward this article? Click here.

This Week's Find is a DC alley house customized to exceed net-zero energy standards.
Permits were recently approved for an alley dwelling in Hill East that will be constructed largely of compostable materials. Located on Adelaide Alley (map), so named after sculptor, activist, and Congressional Cemetery internee Adelaide Johnson, the two-story house goes beyond solar power to achieve its energy efficiency.
story continues below
loading...story continues above

Designed by architecture firm bld.us, the exterior of the house will be comprised of tulip poplar bark cladding and a cedar roof, trussed with black locust structural timber, all sourced from the Piedmont Foothills in Virginia. The structure of the house will be established with Bamcore, a bamboo plywood hollow wall, and sheep's wool will provide insulation within the hollow walls. A layer of cork insulation beneath the bark cladding will also add to the efficiency of the structure.
The interior of the house will be arranged around a central atrium above the stairwell. The main level includes a screened-in porch, a bedroom suite and a half bath, and on the second level, there is another bedroom suite with a screened-in balcony and two additional bedrooms which share a bathroom. Solar panels will be installed on the roof.
The house is anticipated to break ground in 2020.
Note: The name of the architecture firm has been clarified, as has the bamboo wall system.
See other articles related to: adelaide alley, alley dwellings, becker linn design, bld.us, energy efficiency, energy efficient, energy use, net zero, net zero home, this week's find
This article originally published at https://dc.urbanturf.com/articles/blog/this-weeks-find-a-custom-compostable-capitol-hill-alley-house/16208.
Most Popular... This Week • Last 30 Days • Ever

Airbnb has introduced a new component of its platform that marks a significant shift... read »

As a homeowner, it's important to understand the types of insurance you need to prote... read »

The Hoffman & Associates project is having difficultly securing financing.... read »

While the number of homes on the market is much higher than last year, that probably ... read »

This week’s Best New Listings includes a cozy one-bedroom in Adams Morgan and a fiv... read »
- Massages? In-House Chefs? Airbnb Introduces Services
- What Types of Insurance Do You Need When You Own a Home?
- 445-Unit Mixed-Use Development Adjacent to Audi Field Will Be Delayed
- DC-Area Home Prices Set Record In April As Supply Soars
- Best New Listings: In The Middle Of Adams Morgan, In The Woods Of Forest Hills
DC Real Estate Guides
Short guides to navigating the DC-area real estate market
We've collected all our helpful guides for buying, selling and renting in and around Washington, DC in one place. Start browsing below!
First-Timer Primers
Intro guides for first-time home buyers
Unique Spaces
Awesome and unusual real estate from across the DC Metro