Questions & Answers

Provided below are answers to frequently asked questions about the competition. Please browse through the subjects below to view questions and answers relating to your inquiry. Links contained within the answers will guide you to further information on the competition website. Should you have any further questions, please submit them to COEH@freegreen.com.

Please note that you will may not receive a direct response to your email inquiries, but Answers will be posted on this page.

Recent Questions:

What cost should I assume for the different wall system options?

Due to the newness of some of the wall systems being featured in this competition exact per square foot costs for some of the systems can be hard to obtain (espically for US use). That said we are asking competitiors to assume $13 per square foot cost for each system. This cost includes the cost of materials and labor.

The Basic Materials that can be downloaded from the Contest Website are farily basic, are there more materials that are delivered after I register?

Yes. Please see the Materials Page for more detials on the Extra Post-Registration Materials that will be delivered to you once your register.

What is the site orientation that I should assume for the competition?

You should use the basic site plan and site photos (delivered in the Post-Registration Materials) to determine the site orientation that will work best for your design.

Does achieving one of the top 3 places mean that your project will be built with funds provided by the competition administration (up to their budget cap), or are winners expected to come up with the funding for building?

Winners are not expected to finance the project. The construction of homes is subject to available funding through Greensburg GreenTown, FreeGreen.com, and our other competition partners.

Are you permitted to add additional insulation / materials to your exterior envelope beyond one of the three wall systems given?

Sure, as long as you include one of the three specified wall systems and keep within the specified budget.

What is the orientation of the site? Once registered will we be given a detailed site plan including neighboring buildings or trees?

The orientation of the site is included on the site plan that can be downloaded from the Materials & Program page. There are no immediate buildings or trees that will affect the design of the home.

What lot setbacks & height limitations are set by zoning for the lot south? (for modeling worst case solar exposure conditions)?

Setback limitations can be ascertained from the site plan at the Materials & Program page. Structures cannot be built above 36 feet tall in residential areas.

You've set an assumption of "$13 per square foot cost for each system." However, the HIB system has many different configurations with very different thermal properties. Does this $13/SF cover the insulation and cladding materials that are listed in their various modules or only the basic composite wood blocks? (e.g. - HIB-element 300 special)

Please assume that $13/SF covers the insulation and cladding material listed for all of HIB's module types.

Concerning the budget of a house costing only $110 dollars per square foot, are we to incorporate the labor cost into that price? Also, should we account for appliances like refrigerators, ranges and dryers?

The $110/sf budget is expected to be turn-key. In other words, the point when an inhabitant could move in and begin to live in the home. As we have reiterated to other contestants, you are welcome to create a baseline scenario at $110/sf that is as green as it can be for the price. Then, you can show other scenarios that demonstrate how including additional features?

REGISTRATION:

Why do I need to register?

To ensure fairness, the competition jury will examine the submitted proposals anonymously. To make this anonymity possible, competitors will receive a unique confirmation ID number upon completion of the registration process. Registration also helps Greensburg GreenTown and FreeGreen Inc. manage the juried competition more efficiently.

What does the registration fee cover?

The fee covers entry into the competition and two tickets to the Awards Ceremony. In previous competitions, entrants were required to print, mount and ship their entries to our office; for this competition, entrants will submit all files digitally via our online submission form. All printing costs will be covered by Greensburg GreenTown and FreeGreen Inc.

Can competitors submit more than one entry to the competition?

Only one entry is permitted per receipt ID number. Competitors who wish to submit more than one entry must register separately for each submission.

Can two or more people enter the competition? Am I limited to the number of people in the group? How does registration fee apply to a group?

Group submissions are acceptable, and the number of individuals participating in the group is up to the group. If you register as a group, you are considered a single entry with a single entry fee. Only one submission is permitted per receipt ID number. When registering a group, please provide your company or group name as well as the individual's name who is leading the group via the registration form. This individual will be the contact person for the group.
How will the public view my submission and how do their comments, reaction, and votes affect the judging?

All submission will be displayed for public viewing on a special section of the FreeGreen website. This will be an open viewing platform where anyone can review, download, comment on, and vote for an entrant's submission. The competition jury will take public reaction into the judging criteria as they see fit. Favorable public reactions and high vote totals will both be factored into determining the winners.

ELIGIBILITY:

I am not an architect, nor do I have a professional design degree. Am I eligible to enter?

Yes! Anyone who has a point of view about a Real Dream Home is invited to submit an entry. We are committed to generating innovative dialogue about these topics and thus we have opened the competition to anyone who wants to participate.

I am an architect (student) outside of the United States. Am I eligible to enter?

Yes! Due to interest from overseas we have decided to open the competition to individuals - including both students and professionals - from all countries. We welcome your thoughts and are pleased to include entries from the international community.

Is a team of Intern Architects working toward licensure without a licensed architect eligible to compete on the professional level?

Yes! Intern architects working toward licensure may compete on the professional level. If the individuals have completed their undergraduate architecture education then they may enter as professionals. A professional license is not required to participate in the competition.

IMAGES:

As a competitor, am I permitted to use the website images on my boards?

Yes. The photographs provided in the Site Brief/Images section of the website are provided for use on presentation boards if competitors so choose. A caption list accompanies each set of photographs and, where required, includes specific crediting instructions.

OTHER:

Will I receive additional information in the mail?

No, all information is available on this website. There is no additional print information.

Is there a budget for the project?

Yes. We welcome designs of all sizes, as long as they cost less than $110 per square foot. That means that a 1400sf home would cost $154,000. On a 30-year mortgage set at 6% interest that means a monthly payment of roughly $1,000. Rule-of-thumb says that an annual household income of $51,000 should be able to afford this payment. This include level includes a large number of American households. And don’t forget, one of FreeGreen’s cost engineers will be closely involved during the judging phase

How technically developed must my proposal be?

We encourage competitors to partner with engineers, scientists and experts from other technical professions in order to generate the most informed proposals possible. Successful proposals will strike a balance between innovation and practicality.

Can I write more than 250 words for the project description?

Competitors may include text beyond 250 words on their boards; however the required text to be entered into the online submission form and display on the competition website MUST NOT EXCEED 250 words. Your 250-word description will be used as an abstract that accompanies your submission when presented to the jury and/or in an exhibition.

I received a receipt ID number and a Contest Entry ID number which do I use to name my files and on my boards?

Competitors are to use the THEIR ASSIGNED 4 DIGIT CONTEST ENTRY ID NUMBER TO NAME FILES and on the boards. A unique number is issued to every contestant.

Can you provide additional information about Greensburg?

http://www.greensburgks.org/
http://www.greensburggreentown.org/
http://www.thechainofecohomes.org/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greensburg,_Kansas

Can I use other materials for my project? May I use brick, glass, etc?

Yes, you may use other materials for the project. The main component of the project is to innovatively use the chosen wall system(s). Other materials will be necessary and acceptable. You may introduce any material necessary to enhance your vision for the site