1. Aspen Woods
A perfect harmony of environmentally
sustainable innovations and modern amenities

2. Introduction
Come home to Aspen Woods, a new eco-friendly community located
in Montgomery County, Texas. Aspen Woods is a unique new district
within Montgomery County with many different incentives to maintain a
healthy, thriving natural environment without forgoing efficiency and
comfort. In this sustainable living subdivision, the developers have
created an ideal location for all households and have established
incentives to make sustainable living within Aspen Woods even easier for
the residents. Aspen Woods developers have effectively established
sustainable living characteristics through their use of eco-friendly
innovations within the household and community, sustainable
transportation methods throughout the neighbourhood, and with their use
of eco-friendly building materials in the construction of all homes within
Aspen Woods. Luxury and sustainable innovations are the foundation of
this inviting region of Montgomery County. Come and explore this
innovative new community deep in the heart of Texas, where sustainable
practices are easily integrated into the community for a rewarding
atmosphere.

3. An overview of the cohesion between comfort and sustainable
practices within the community

4. Objectives of Aspen Woods
• To create a community that maintains
environmentally friendly practices with the intent
of reducing the production of waste and the
amounts of water and energy used for the common
household
• To incorporate these practices in such a way that
comfort and ease will not be diminished by these
sustainable practices
• To utilize new technologies within each household
and community spaces that efficiently and
effectively reduce the overall global footprint of
the neighbourhood

5. Aspen Woods Homes
• Each home is approximately 2,500 square feet and
consists of 3 bedrooms, and 3.5 bathrooms
• The cost of each home is $500,000 with additional
neighbourhood fees and the monthly payments for
parking
• The subdivision of Aspen Woods will consist of 24
homes, a community center for neighbourhood and
board meetings, a parking garage near the entrance,
and green space throughout the area
• There will be a small shopping center at the entrance
to the neighbourhood, where community farmer’s
markets will take place, and where small shops will be
located, including a whole foods store to allow people
to buy groceries without having to drive to a store

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8. Aspen Woods Transportation
• Past the community parking garage, no vehicles are permitted due to the
inefficiency of the amount of gasoline used
• To replace cars as transportation within the community, a BIXI ™ bike
station is located at the entrance to the neighbourhood, with three other
stations located within the community
• In order to encourage our residents to walk within the subdivision, eco-
friendly path lights are placed along the paths, and will remain lit for the
duration of “dark hours” depending on the time of year
• Each resident is allotted one parking space within the garage that is
subject to a monthly fee throughout the year
• Residents that own hybrid vehicles or electric cars will be given spaces on
an upper level of the garage, where the parking fee does not apply and
proper methods of charging the cars are available
• Extra parking spaces may be purchased at the beginning of each year with
the limit being two total parking spaces per household and the monthly
fee will double

9. Aspen Woods Green Space
• All flora planted on Aspen Woods property must be cleared by the
neighbourhood board, and typically must be a native species in order to
maintain biodiversity
• Within the four sections of the community, neighbourhood plots will be
established in order to encourage residents to grow some of their own
food
• Composts must be present in the garden of each home to promote healthy
soil to maximize the growth of wildlife
• Common areas will also be located in the park with playground equipment
and picnic benches
• Greenway™ lights will line all the paths and major areas inside the park
during the night, and gain energy from solar power during the day
• Pesticides are not allowed in any of the gardens inside Aspen Woods, and
all fertilizers must be cleared by the board to ensure that they do not
contain harmful chemicals
• Hiking paths and trails go through the community nature preserve and
encircle it to promote walking and biking

10. An outline of the creative technology used to maintain a
healthy environment

11. The BIXI™ System
• BICYCLE + TAXI = BIXI
• This system is known to utilize cutting-edge technology to
provide residents with an efficient, simple method for
transportation within the community
• This method of transportation is known for having a reduced
impact on the environment and is convenient for all
residents
• Research has shown that bike riders take in 40% less
pollutants than people who drive
• Additionally, it has been shown that 500-700 calories are
burned every hour of biking and regular exercise on a bike is
known to lower cholesterol levels
• Within Aspen Woods, the BIXI™ system will not function with
the traditional universal keys, but instead each resident will
receive a key upon request without payment

12. Energy Star Appliances
• In order to lower energy usage within Aspen Woods, common appliances
will be provide to residents upon purchase of a home
• Energy Star homes are at minimum, 15% more energy efficient than
homes modeled after 2004 International Residence Code
• The energy-saving features of home appliances, and heating and cooling
systems create homes that are typically 20-30% more efficient than the
average home
• Important aspects of Energy Star homes include:
o Effective insulation
o High-performance windows
o Tight construction and ducts
o Efficient heating and cooling equipment
o Efficient products
o Third-party verification
• Rebates are available to homes that make a concious effort to reduce
their energy usage beyond the average home within Aspen Woods

13. RAINXCHANGE™ Water Collection
Systems
• Each Aspen Woods household will be equipped with a
packaged rain collection system in order to reduce the
amounts of water that the community uses
• Residents will be given a choice for the style of their pre-
packaged water collection systems, which will allow for
aesthetic benefits to the collection as well as environmental
• Rainwater harvesting is known as beneficial to wildlife
because it provides more nutrients and removes chemicals
from the water
• Usage of rainwater also is known to reduce fertilizer use,
which is another benefit to the environment
• Because Aspen Woods utilizes a management-operated
sprinkler system to restrict the amount of water used in the
neighbourhood’s green space, rainwater harvesting allows
residents to distribute rainwater at their discretion

14. A summary of small changes in normal routines to cut down
energy and water use, and waste production

15. Building Materials
• Using recycled-content materials reduces waste going to landfills, reduces manufacturing
waste and pollution, and reduces energy consumption
• Eco-friendly buildings eliminate many problems with the average modern construction
because “green” homes have good ventilation, breathable walls, and utilize natural,
non-toxic products and materials
• Tradical® Hemcrete®, produced by Lime Technology, is a cutting-edge form of eco-
friendly building that is “a negative carbon bio-composite product comprised of hemp
and a lime based binder” that exhibits efficient thermal properties for comfortable
buildings
• This type of eco-friendly building material helps to achieve a lower carbon dioxide
footprint and contributes to forming a sustainable low carbon built environment
• Green roofing is an option to Aspen Woods residents, in which vegetation is incorporated
onto the roof, allowing for:
o Manageable storm-water runoff
o Increased energy efficiency
o Improved air quality
• Residents who choose to install a vegetated roof will also receive a rebate on property
taxes due to their efforts
• Other options for sustainable roofing are available to homeowners without going as far as
a vegetated roof, such as the Enviroshake® reclaimed materials roof

16. Saving Energy
• In addition to the utilization of Star Energy appliances,
landscaping for each lot will include the positioning of trees
on the sides of each home in order to reduce air conditioning
usage
• Households that make efforts to reduce the amount of
energy that they are consuming will be recognized by the
board, and will receive rebates on property tax
• Homes that also use other methods of saving energy, such as
growing some of their own food, or using electric vehicles
will also receive rebates for their efforts
• All homes that are designated as Energy Star homes will
receive government rebates
• Households that convert to alternative forms of energy,
frequently solar power, will also receive rebates for their
efforts

17. Solar Energy Panels
• All community buildings, including the parking garage
and shops outside the community’s entrance will be
powered by solar energy
• Households that choose to convert their energy source
to solar energy will receive rebates and can conduct
their conversion with the aid of the Aspen Woods board
• Energy Star residential wind turbines will also be used
within the community, and are applicable to rebates
• Residential fuel cells produced by Energy Star are also
accepted as a method to reduce energy consumption if
they have a rate of efficiency that is at least 30%
• Solar energy panels may also be used as water heaters

18. Reasons to Move to Aspen Woods
• Increased awareness about society’s
environmental impacts and innovative options
to reduce households’ carbon footprints
• Improved lifestyle with more time spent
outdoors (walking, biking, gardening) and a
significant decrease in pollutants and chemicals
• Imaginative techniques to reducing pollution,
waste production, and energy and water
consumption

19. Alternative Forms of Energy

20. Sustainable Innovations

21. Eco-Friendly Appliances

22. Aspen Woods,
Montgomery
County, Texas:
Where sustainable development
meets comfort

23. Bibliography
• Bloomberg.com. BIXI Bicycle System. N.d. Bloomberg Businessweek. Bloomberg, n.d.
Web. 28 Nov. 2010.
<http://images.businessweek.com/ss/09/07/0729_IDEA_awards_transportation/3.htm>.
• “Cedar Shake.” Enviroshake. N.p., 2005. Web. 30 Nov. 2010.
<http://www.enviroshake.com/products-environmental.php>.
• Energy Star. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Nov. 2010.
<http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=home.index>.
• “Greenway.” Sol. Sol Incorporated, n.d. Web. 1 Dec. 2010.
<http://www.solarlightingusa.com/greenway.html>.
• Public Bike System. N.p., 2009-2010. Web. 28 Nov. 2010.
<http://www.bixisystem.com/home>.
• RainXChange Rainwater Harvest Systems. Aquascape Incorporated, 2008. Web. 29 Nov.
2010. <http://www.rainxchange.com/>.
• Sustainable Build. N.p., 2010. Web. 29 Nov. 2010.
<http://www.sustainablebuild.co.uk/EcoFriendlyConstructionMethodsMaterials.html>.
• “Tradical Hemcrete.” Lime Technology. Lime Technology Ltd, 2006. Web. 29 Nov. 2010.
<http://www.limetechnology.co.uk/>.
• “Vegetated Roofing Solutions.” Tremco. Tremco Incorporated, 2010. Web. 29 Nov. 2010.
<http://www.tremcoroofing.com/vegetatedroofing.asp>.
Created by Stefanie Ott, 2012