Texas, USA

Category:            Sustainable Houses
Year:                2026
Architects:          Edward M. Baum, Architect LLC.
Lead Architect:      Edward M. Baum 
Client:              Urban Commons
Images               Courtesy of the Architects

The cost of owning a home in the United States has become increasingly out of reach for many in the middle and working classes. The ‘American Dream’ of home ownership has been receding for many years, as housing costs have risen much more rapidly than family income.

This project addresses the need for affordable family housing, housing that offers many of the expected amenities seen in the larger market. This is achieved through a compact building volume, efficient planning, economical construction, and energy self-sufficiency.

The location is Urban Commons, an ongoing planned development of 75-80 affordable houses in suburban Dallas. Selected teams of architects and builders are designing groups of dwellings.

The development guidelines call for individual home ownership of detached dwellings on small lots. Houses may be built to one property line, but must leave at least 10ft (3m) of open space to the opposite property line, creating a small side yard.

This project will be built on three of the lots located on the south side of Bower Lane, an access road near the entrance to the development. Each lot is 30ft (9m) wide by 40ft (12m) deep. Therefore, the buildable footprint is 20ft (6m) by 40ft (12m), accounting for the required 10ft (3m) side yard. To the south, the lots face a long, narrow ‘Commons,’ an open space planted with trees. Opposite are a series of houses by another architect.

The target market is families with children and perhaps extended family members. The Richardson public schools are highly rated, always an attractive factor in housing demand.

The houses have three levels. The ground level has secure parking for two vehicles, and a ‘flex room’ with a bathroom that can be a third bedroom, guest room, home office, hobby, or play room. The open living/dining /kitchen area and porch occupy the second level. And two bedrooms, each with bathrooms, occupy the third level. Area (conditioned) of dwelling = 1720 ft2 (160 m2).
The ‘flex room,’ just inside the house’s entrance, offers privacy and works well for grandparents, an older child, or as a business office.

The required 10ft (3m) side yard is developed as an ‘Entry Garden’ that organizes entrance to the dwelling, parking, and access from Bower Lane and the Commons. The sales price of the house will include an allowance for planting and consultation with a landscape architect.

A layer of economical crushed rock covers the ground except for the walkway, creating a good surface for the vehicles and an attractive mulch for planting. Construction is economical and low-maintenance. The outside walls on the ground level and the Bower Lane and Commons facades are Omniblock, a proprietary insulated (U = 0.05 Btu/hr·ft2·°F [U = 0.28 W/m2·°K] ) concrete block, available in many finishes. The upper levels on the long side walls are standard, highly-insulated wood framing clad with ribbed, galvanized metal siding. The floor and roof spans are flat wood trusses.

The floor at ground level is the concrete floor slab, polished. Upper floor surfaces are planned to be cork tile.
All glazed openings are the economical sliding type, offering excellent ventilation. All glazing is either shaded or faces north.

The full-width porch has a ‘living’ balustrade— evergreen vines on a trellis made of 4in x 4in (10cm x 10cm) strong welded wire fencing panels. This material is also used for other railings throughout the dwelling.

Sixteen commercial-grade, efficient solar panels in four rows provide for all the energy needs of the dwelling. These are mounted on ballasted frames that do not penetrate the roof membrane.

Construction is expected to begin within a year. If successful—socially and financially—these affordable houses may become a prototype for application on other sites.