Author: Jess Flohr

Pioneer Valley Habitat’s small home at 1 Garfield Ave has gotten big recognition — an award for Best in Sustainability at the inaugural Habitat House Design Contest in 2020! This house was selected among entries from across the United States for its innovative small footprint design and high energy efficiency. Designed by Jones Whitsett Architects, 1 Garfield was the pilot home in the Big Enough Project and was completed in 2019. Learn more

Our small home forum is a way for PVHH to report on our small home project: our successes, challenges, and lessons learned. It also brings together experts from around Western Mass to talk about what real-world changes they’re making in the Pioneer Valley and beyond as we all take part in a small home revolution. Featuring organizations and individuals involved in building small, with keynote by Sheri Koones, bestselling author of Downsize: Living Large in a Small House! Learn more on our event webpage.

Currently, this event has been postponed due to health concerns around COVID-19. Stay tuned for updates as we reschedule it to a later date!

Curious about the successes and lessons learned from our 2019 Big Enough pilot homes? Want to know more behind-the-scenes info about our project, innovative financing techniques, or finishing out a modular house? Read about all of this and more in the 2020 Big Enough report, available now!

This report would not have been possible without the input of volunteers, interns, project partners, Habitat homeowners, and the help of Habitat staff. We hope the Big Enough Project can continue to influence the discussion around small, affordable, durable, and energy-efficient homes in the Valley and beyond.