Basicliving is a collection of ideas for a condominium community in northeast Ohio that would be affordable, comfortable and flexible for any stage of life with services and facilities determined by the owners. The condominiums are designed to fulfill modern needs and wants while saving time, money and energy. Each standard unit would consist of a 1664 sq. ft. two story home plus sunspace, full basement, private yard and a three bay garage. At least three standard units would be built in a row with each being designed to further divide into single or couple units with private entrances. The goal is a sustainable community that respects privacy while offering services including cafeteria, day care and assisted living. Basicliving condominiums would combine elements from Enertia Building Systems' Genesis II and Horizon Series homes. In the event of a regional or national disaster the structures would be superior to conventional housing and the sustainable community would be better prepared for basic living and survival.

Expense-free comfort, from Enertia Building Systems, draws on the energy from the earth for heating and cooling. Their homes combine passive solar and geothermal energy eliminating the need for conventional heating and air conditioning. The double wall construction forms an air envelope around the entire home protecting the living space from temperature extremes. The walls are solid wood six by six-inch gluelam elements pre-cut and numbered in a factory, which are a renewable resource. The timbers are bathed with solar energy through the south facing windows and act as the passive solar heat sink. The foundation and air envelope act as a natural geothermal heat pump heating in the winter and cooling in the summer. There are no drafts, dead spots or dry stale indoor winter air found with forced air systems. Enertia Building Systems explains the system in detail and claim their homes will last for hundreds of years with minimum maintenance.

Enertia homes cost about twenty percent more to build, than conventional homes, but the higher cost can be made up in five or six years on energy savings from expense-free heating and cooling. The solid wood walls are stronger and more durable than stud walls making them superior for extreme weather and security. The in-ground, or basement level, is part of the air envelope and is bathed in sunlight and more comfortable than many slab on grade homes. The air envelope will never drop below the ground temperature and the main living area remains comfortable up to four days in extremely cloudy conditions. Tubing embedded in the concrete floor can be heated with hot water from solar panels, wood burning and or a natural gas system for extremely cloudy conditions.

Basicliving condominiums meet the needs of modern life with a vision for the future. They would be built end to end, saving on material and future energy loss by having less exterior walls. The air space between the double north wall would be expanded into a corridor along the north end of the units. This corridor would have garage and storage space on the other side. The standard units are separated by a solid wood wall to insure privacy and could be divided into smaller units. Owners could band together for cooperative financing and the purchase of utilities. The focus is living simpler more fulfilling lives with more time for family and community, while being able to adapt to our changing world. Basicliving.org invites comments on its ideas to rlenhart@neo.rr.com.