Subsidized Housing in a Light Industrial Zone at Quixote Village!

This case examines the partnership between the residents of Camp Quixote – a self-governing tent community of homeless adults – and Panza, their nonprofit support organization, Thurston County and the City of Olympia, to site a permanent supportive housing community in a light industrial zone. This required a comprehensive plan amendment and a zoning code amendment adopted by the Olympia City Council over the objections of neighboring commercial property owners, as well as a conditional use permit. On Christmas Eve, 2013 Quixote Village welcomed its previously homeless residents to their new homes, which include a 1700 sq. common house with shared facilities, and 30 individual “tiny house” 144 sq. ft. sleeping units.

Undersized heating system at North Passive House

Because of a super-insulated, high performance “Passive House” design, a central heating system was not required to meet heat load requirements. The building official allowed a smaller-than-standard heading system, a Navien combi-heater: a high efficiency, tankless, natural gas powered water heater that delivers heated hydronic fluid to a fluid-to-air heat exchanger installed in ductwork for the home’s ventilation system. Energy efficiency, building science and technology make a house that is extremely airtight and insulated.

Methane CoGen System – District Energy at LOTT Building*

All of Thurston County, Tumwater, Olympia, and Lacey’s wastewater is cycled through the LOTT alliance. Methane is a natural bi-product of the entire water treatment process. This methane needs to be either used or disposed of, most companies doing the latter. The LOTT Alliance chose to recycle this methane using an innovative technology, the Co-Generation System that turns the methane into electricity. To permit this system, it first had to meet several key requirements.