Land Use By John Wesley Miller

How does Tucson compare with other Western cities in regard to land use and energy-efficient construction? That was what Tom Doucette, Dante Archangeli and I wanted to find out.

The three of us were recently invited to attend the second, two-day Western Home Alliance Conference sponsored by Sunset Publishing Corp. of Menlo Park, Calif. Sunset Magazine is considered one of the top publications that highlight what is new and happening in the building industry.

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The three of us joined 66 other builders, architects and land planners from seven Western states plus company representatives in discussing this year's theme: "Building Homes for the West: From Courtyard to New Communities." Guest speakers ranged from company officials who told of new products that were coming online, to experts in the fields of land planning and construction.

Some of the discussions addressed design, materials and land and site issues. In design, experts talked about such topics as the "smaller is better" concept, energy-efficient building, durability and the feasibility of using gray water. In land and site issues, they discussed renovating older buildings, in-fill, cluster buildings and water management.

Throughout the conference, one thing came out loud and clearwe are running out of desirable land to build new homes. Builders said that in many cases they were having to build on smaller lots to make the cost of homes remain within the reach of most families. Land costs, fees and taxes are making builders take a new look at what is needed in doing a development.

At the same time, many families are asking for bigger homes. This means that if you can't build horizontal, you must go vertical. A number of the builders I talked with said they planned on building two- and even three-story homes on much smaller lots than they were used to dealing with.

What makes the land availability issue even more pressing are the predictions regarding growth that will take place in the Southwest in the next four years. It is estimated there will beat minimuma 12.4 percent increase. The University of Arizona predicts that the Tucson metro area will increase from today's 906,800 residents to 1,016,800 by 2008.

If this holds true, home design could take a much different look than what we are used to seeing in Tucson. At the same time, this could very well open up concerns regarding view blockage. Additional care would have to be given to heat and cool homes, such as adding insulation. Everyone agreed we could meet the need, but higher costs and other changes will have to be implemented. We need to take a serious look at what we are willing to accept as a community.

The one thing I did not hear being discussed was that builders were building energy- efficient homes with accessibility features built in. Everyone I talked with was aware of the net zero-energy-using home we built in Armory Park del Sol, yet few indicated they were using solar-energy technology. Until people demand more energy conservation in their homes, many will continue to build as usual.

All three of us came away with the feeling that Tucson is indeed a leader when it comes to well-planned, energy-efficient and sustainable developments. Yes, we can and must do even better. Compared to many other cities, however, we are still on the cutting edge of energy-conservation construction and are helping to keep American families the best housed anywhere.

John Wesley Miller, owner of John Wesley Miler Cos., is a Tucson builder and developer.