We offer a Mandala design that is a perfect small building and do-able backyard project.

Here is a short and fun video that demonstrates a portion of the assembly of the prefab components of an Aspen 21′.

Contact us if you can imagine enjoying the ease, efficiency and practicality of creating a space like this.

Here at Mandala Homes, we like to encourage the understanding and use of outdoor rooms in the design of a home,  because we know that  the feeling of “home” is encompassed in the land around the house as well as in the house itself.

“I don’t divide architecture, landscape and gardening; to me they are all one.” Luis Barrangan

This covered kitchen porch has a magnificent view

Beyond encouraging  connection to the land and to nature, there are other advantage to outdoor rooms. They can be beautiful and they can reduce energy costs by providing natural cooling spaces. And, less materials are used in building outdoor rooms so useable square footage is gained for less money.

Another cost savings choice is to link the outdoor eating area with the indoor kitchen.Simply add a covered porch to a southeast wall near the kitchen and incorporate a door and a pass-through window in the design. This provides the pleasure and fun of gathering and eating outdoors without the cost of a second outdoor kitchen.This southeast facing eating porch is also the perfect site to place wooden boxes and clay pots planted with easy care vegetables and kitchen herbs.

Another outdoor room idea is a private, covered porch area directly connected to the master bedroom. Such a room can provide an intimate sleeping space that is optimum for star gazing, a natural way to cool off in the summer and a way to enjoy nature from the comforts of home. The outdoor room featured in our Magnolia plan is designed to step down into a private patio area. This is a  quiet and beautiful place for reading ‚ sitting and enjoying the sunset.

Outdoor Room on the West Side

We‘d love to hear your response to these ideas and to read about your experiences in creating or living in outdoor rooms.

Greetings and Happy Holidays!

May this letter find you well, happy and celebrating the holidays with your family and friends. The team here at Mandala Homes is glowing and grateful to celebrate another year of helping to make your home dreams come true (like this beautiful Mandala home).

Eco Wood and Stone Home

1) people who are dreaming about designing and building their own unique home.

2) people who are in the midst of designing and building their own unique home.

3) people who have succeeded in the extraordinary undertaking of designing and building their own unique custom home.

When considering the motivation that underlies the big accomplishment of building a home, a story by poet, Robert Louis Stevenson, comes to mind,

Stevenson describes an annual ritual enacted by the young boys of his Scottish childhood. Every September, the local boys would buy small tin lanterns called bull’s eyes. They would light the lantern from the fires of their home hearths, tie it to their belt, wrap up in a heavy winter coat and venture out into the dark night. Each boy would wander alone in the fields that surrounded the village, coat tightly buttoned up, with not a glimmer of hidden light shining through. When a youth met another boy in the autumn heath, each would open their coat and reveal to the other the hot smoking light of home.

Stevenson felt that this childhood game symbolized the constant light of our connection with the center of our lives and that the boys are a symbol of a human being who is wandering in the dark night of life; each with our own hidden home-light burning secretly inside.

He wrote “The essence of this bliss was to walk by yourself in the black night, the slide shut, the topcoat buttoned, not a ray escaping….a mere pillar of darkness in the dark; and all the while, deep down in the privacy of your fool’s heart, to know you had a bull’s eye at your belt, and to exult and sing over the knowledge.”

Designing and building your own unique home is akin to emerging from a pillar of darkness, to have a steadily burning lantern in your heart. It’s like having a “bull’s eye at your belt”. It gives you a constant reflection of your own creativity, a tremendous sense of personal accomplishment and a feeling of security, peace, and possibility.

Natural Home

Our homes should be our safe sanctuaries. They should nurture our well being on all levels. But the modern home often does not.

Increasing numbers of people are developing illnesses like environmental allergies, sick-building syndrome and multiple chemical sensitivity due to chemical and biological toxins found inside modern homes.

Until about 25 years ago, indoor air pollution was  rare. But a few fundamental things have developed in building practices that have affected the environmental quality inside our homes.

Synthetic Chemicals. At the turn of the century and for thousands of years before, our home and work environments were free of man-made chemicals. This is no longer true, there are currently more than 4 million registered synthetic chemicals.

Approximately 80,000 are in common use.We don’t know the long term effects of these chemicals on the human body. In particular, we don’t yet know the effects of exposure to combined chemicals in a sealed environment.

Increased Energy Efficiency. In solving one problem, modern home construction has created another. Improved technologies have been introduced that seal homes more tightly.

However, a tightly sealed home that has no air leaks must have a ventilation system to replace humid and stale air that can be laced with bacteria, mold and off-gassing toxins.

In many areas, there are no building regulations requiring ventilation or HVAC systems. For optimal indoor air quality, it is very important to understand and balance the systems in a high performing house.

House Siting  In order to survive, ancient humans carefully observed their environment. Human dwellings were constructed to fit into the landscape in beneficial ways. They were sited to capture and use needed shade, sun or protection.

It’s only a society that is over populated and disconnected from the environment  that would prioritize siting a house primarily for view or proximity to town.

Thus we see inappropriately sited homes (ie: north facing/unprotected) with mold problems or houses demanding costly systems and energy to maintain the modern expectation for uniform temperatures 24/365.

Green Home Solutions:

• Be vigilant in using chemical free building materials
• Properly install and use a ventilation system in your new tightly sealed home.
• Carefully observe your proposed building site and choose a location that maximizes the environmental quality of the home.
• Work with a company that consistently researches and understands building materials, performance building, energy efficient systems and healthy homes.

Passive Solar Home

We are announcing the launch of a new Mandala blog!

www.mandalahomes.com/roundgreenhome/

This site journals the story about Lars Chose and Rachel Ross building a Mandala Home near Nelson, B.C.. We invite you to join us for the adventure!

Speaking about Eco Buildings and Green Homes

“These homes are brilliant!” (Conference attendee)

Mandala Homes had the honor of being present at the Global Buyers Mission in Whistler, B.C. Sept 8–10, 2011.

The room buzzed with hundreds of people from all parts of the world; China, Japan Korea, India, Taiwan, Vietnam, USA and Canada. The words from many languages drifted in the air and the colors green and  brown were dominant in the room. BC wood products were displayed in every conceivable form.

Mandala Homes received a great deal of attention due to our unique strength as an experienced prefabrication builder specializing in homes that are:

• Hurricane Resistant
• Wind Resistant
• Earthquake Resistant
• Energy Efficient
• Prefabricated Round Home Kits

Lars Chose, President, had the privilege to present a lesson to groups of architects during the conference. The presentation had two parts:

1. The Intelligence of Round
2. Energy Efficient Wall Systems

The conference was a delightful opportunity to connect with a global community of entrepreneurs, colleagues and people interested in safe , sustainable and beautiful buildings.

Timber framing details

For 11 years, Mandala  Homes has been designing and building pre-fabricated round and rectangular home packages in Nelson, BC and distributing all over the globe, with Canada and US being their main market.  Along with pre-fabricated home packages, they also sell decking, flooring, trim packages, pre stained cedar siding, timber frame components and wood window & door packages.   Mandala Homes with its triple-bottom line business model makes its business decision by taking into account the financial, social, and environmental impact.

Mandala Homes is the only round home builder in Canada and one of only a few in North America.  Round homes use less building surface to enclose the same square footage as a rectangular building resulting in less BTUs needed to heat than a conventional home. Mandala Homes’ innovative air tightness design provides a strong barrier from the elements, limiting air leakage and vastly cutting down on heating and cooling costs.

They are dedicated to creating positive change in the world through innovative green technology and a focus on using safe, healthy, and sustainable building products. Mandala Homes incorporates a Smart Waste Program in their production facility which minimizes the amount of material ending up in a land fill.  The factory is powered by a windmill farm in Northern BC and is heated by a high efficiency wood burning stove; leftover wood cutoffs are burned instead of thrown into the dumpster.  They also use sustainable and renewable products and low VOC or non-toxic materials.   Mandala Homes also has a LEED Accredited Professional (AP) Designer and Engineer available for any LEED projects.  One of their projects in 2010, a health food store in Fort Nelson, won the Best BC Green Business of the Year award.

One of the strongest benefits of a round/faceted structure is its natural resistance to strong winds and seismic activity.  The round design allows the wind to wrap around rather than push against it and the conical roof prevents roof lifting due to negative pressures over the lee side of the house.  The interdependence of all the building components makes it easy to engineer connectors to tie the building to the foundation system for areas that experience earthquake activity.

Through their commitment to innovative green technology, they created The Comfort Wall System.  With this system, they have moved from the standard R20 insulation rating to R34 in the wall and R66 in the roof.  They use Roxul mineral wool insulation which is created from recycled mineral.   The insulation is fire resistant; repels water so the R-value is not affected; completely resistant to rot, mildew, mold, and bacterial growth; and absorbs sound.  To limit thermal bridging a blanket of Roxul Board is used on outside of the wall, along with the air barrier, creating an air tight seal around the complete building envelope.  Stay tuned to their Facebook page on when they are coming out with this new technology.

Along with their dedication to the environment, Mandala Homes also give back to their community. For example, they support Habondia’s Women in Sustainable Housing (WISH) project.   This 30 month pilot project’s goal is to support women survivors of violence and senior women in increasing their money management skills and improving their economic security through obtaining or maintaining sustainable housing.

When it comes to social media, Mandala Homes is quite successful. With over 5,000 Facebook fans and up to a 75% engagement rate, they have an edge up in the industry.  With a post almost every day, Mandala Homes is keeping their fans engaged and informed on the topics of energy efficiency, sustainable building practices, company projects and the soul of the home.  This activity strengthens their brand awareness.

front door dream home

A DREAM COME TRUE

All is well on Namaste Farm, the sun is coming up and the air is lilac fresh and quiet. Morning birds stir the day with song.  The Gulf Island Peirce residence, a stunning round Mandala Home, sits proudly at the top of the property overlooking the fields and gardens, just beyond the far gardens the early morning sea dances softly.

John and Nancy Peirce are living in their dream home. Each morning the Pierce’s  have the unique opportunity to wake with the deeply contented feeling of having successfully created a home that represents Living Art.

A ROUND HOME

In 2008, The Pierce’s saw a photo ad for Mandala Homes and instantly fell in love with the sustainable aspects, the flowing round design, the signature 5 foot centre skylight, the 20% greater energy efficiency of the round shape, the increased seismic strength of an interlocking building system and the easeful way that strong coastal winds move past a round building. They also felt a resonance with Mandala’s philosophy to increase awareness, understanding and compassion for the natural world by building a home that is beautiful, healthy and sustainable.

 A DREAM TEAM

After an easy and creative collaborative design process, the Mandala was scheduled to be shipped in a kit from Nelson, BC. The Peirces would need a trusted designer/contractor to help them set-up and finish their unique home. They asked Adam Velsen of Gabriola Island’s Velsen Homes. “We needed someone who was local, who was flexible enough to work with some of our different ideas, and someone we could trust since much of the work would be done while we were offsite. We had worked with Adam building our garage/shop and had a very good experience there, so that confirmed the choice. Adam would manage the project from start to completion. It was particularly important to connect with someone who had a good working relationship with local sub-trades, both to choose the best people for sub-trades, but also to have them show up on time!” Family and friends are important to the Pierces as well. “During the summer months we wanted to have friends come to join the crew and contribute. This required flexibility and patience on the part of the contractor and particularly on the part of the foreman.”

A GREEN HOME

Namaste Farms has geothermal heat which heats the home, lap pool and hot water. Peirce says the home is running at 500% efficiency. The passive solar also warms the home even on a cool winter day.  This is partly due to the use of ICF (insulated concrete forms) giving the lower floor of the home an R-value of 40. The passive solar also warms the home even on a cool winter day.

The property has a great deal of natural spring water in the winter and is piped into a large metal cistern, of 30,000 gallons, this helps take the load of the well in the summer months for the garden and house. The water is also collected from the roof of the carport. The house has a battery back up system that is kept charged through the main electrical. When the power goes out, it kicks in and the Peirces have power for a couple of days to run the basics. This system is also solar ready if they decided to put panels on the roof in the future. As of now if the power is out for longer than the time that batteries can keep up they have a generator that when run will charge the batteries. There are many Eco-green features in the home . Mandala Homes and Velsen Homes have been in the green building industry for 10 years and have an extensive knowledge about green, sustainable building techniques. They focus on a high quality product that increases the quality of life for the occupants and the surrounding property. A good home should bring joy to the life of the occupants without sacrificing the health of the earth.

A GOOD HOME

This home has a wonderful feel to it. It welcomes all visitors with open arms through the notched beam entry and under the copper gutter. When you arrive inside you are embraced by both the curve of the home and the beautiful view of the field and the ocean. It is a soul nourishing place to sit and enjoy a warm cup of tea. This home truly is a Namaste experience.

Environmental Issues

June 12 2011. Lars Chose and Rachel Ross of Mandala Homes were invited to speak on the topic of Green Building Practices by Verge Permaculture. This discussion was a portion of the Permaculture Design Certification Course. Verge Permaculture is a Calgary-based company that specializes in a systems design approach to sustainable human habitat with a focus on interconnected elements: low energy buildings, water management, waste re-use, renewable energy & food production systems.  www.vergepermaculture.ca

The location of the course was at the stunning and verdant Mountain Waters Retreat Centre located near Nelson, B.C.  Mountain Waters Retreats hosts a rich variety of workshops, retreats, weddings and educational sessions in a magical natural setting www.mountainwatersretreats.ca

Hosted in the centre of an inspired circular building, the topics of the Mandala Homes presentation included;

Benefits of a Round Design — structural strength in earthquake and high wind conditions, more sq. footage with less materials, design inherent energy efficiency (air flow, temperature distribution)

The GREEN aspects of the Pre-Fabrication process–less waste, greater ergonomic advantage, greater accuracy.

Ecological Design- cost and energy saving trends in the building code and building market. The EnerGuide Rating system. Technology and Practices ie; Rain Water Harvesting, Grey Water Systems, Passive Solar Sunspaces and Catchments, Permaculture Gardens, Solar Hot Water, Natural Building Materials (cob, strawbale), Infloor Heating Systems, Thermal Mass and Living Roofs

Concrete Use- the hidden energy costs embedded in concrete.

Doors,Windows,Walls, Insulation — areas of crucial choices and consequences in house design. Presentation of R-40 Mandala Wall System.

LEED Building — an internationally recognized green building certification system, providing third-party verification that a building or community was designed and built using strategies intended to improve performance in metrics such as energy savings, water efficiency, CO₂ emissions reduction, improved indoor environmental quality, and stewardship of resources and sensitivity to their impacts.

LEAN Principles — greater efficiency means great efficacy. LEAN is a production practice that considers the expenditure of resources for any goal other than the creation of value for the end customer to be wasteful, and thus a target for elimination.

The Q & A portion of the event sparkled with knowledgeable, inspired and lively questions and comments by the students.