Ductwork In some houses, and certainly in mine, improperly installed or sealed ductwork is a major contributor to energy loss. Especially when the ductwork is run in the attic and/or basement through unconditioned space, you can lose up to 50% of the efficiency of the system. In my case, [...]
What are easy ways to retrofit an existing home to include green features? Owning a 1920’s Craftsman Four Square, my energy bills had been taking me to the bank. Literally. The insulation was sloppily installed – and I take full credit for that – since I did it myself [...]
The Covenant Place Townhouse, built by Habitat for Humanity of the Greater Chattanooga Area using "The Filmore Triplex" design by TightLines is near completion and scheduled for dedication June 25. This beautiful structure will become the home of Telisha McKinney and family, the refuge family of Jean Hitimana and [...]
I recently had the pleasure of serving as a guest critic this last semester for a sustainable and affordable housing studio at the School of Architecture at North Carolina State University. Taught by Professor Tom Barrie, the students first research the design and technologies of several recently built projects. [...]
It's been a busy year so far and we're hoping to expand our TightLines team! If you have any experience in single family, multifamily & senior affordable housing and an interest in helping to build strong communities, then this is the job for you. Required: Professional degree, AutoCAD proficiency [...]
Virginia's affordable housing conference entitled "Partnerships for the Future, Reinvesting in Communities" was held November 17-19 in Richmond, Va. With over 900 people attending, it was packed with informative sessions, engaging speakers, tours of local projects and developments, and lots of networking opportunities. It's always amazing to us to [...]
On November 6, 2010, over 130 people attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony for Chatham County (NC) Habitat's 99th and 100th home. These homes are located in the Chatham Oaks neighborhood, a community of 15 homes featuring TightLines Designs. TightLines has been working closely with Chatham County Habitat over the last several years [...]
We're excited to announce that the Cooke Street Community has been honored as a recipient of the 2010 Sir Walter Raleigh Awards for Community Appearance. The community is also celebrating their 2nd annual Cooke Street Carnival, dubbed "House Party in the Street", on October 16. The Sir Walter Raleigh Awards awards celebrate projects [...]
It was great to see our old friends and make new ones at this year's NC Affordable Housing Conference. This year's conference entitled "Housing Works" was a huge success. The annual conference is hosted by the North Carolina Housing Coalition, the Community Investment Corporation of the Carolinas, and the North Carolina Housing [...]
TightLines has been working for the last several months with Habitat for Humanity of Chattanooga, Tennessee to complete a custom townhome triplex design. Based on the F-series plan, the triplex features a Charleston-inspired two story design featuring large open living and dining areas, spacious kitchens, and private master bedroom [...]