All Phase 2 homes will be DOE Efficient New Homes certified, a rigorous certification that guarantees quality construction and future energy savings. The homes will be super energy efficient. An optional rooftop photovoltaic solar system would offset the home's annual energy use, resulting in a net-zero energy home. Homes will be all-electric and built with a high-performance building envelope including energy-efficient windows. These homes use efficient air-source heat pumps for heating and cooling, resulting in low energy bills. With our cool mountain air, you’d have the option to open windows in the spring, summer, and fall to bring in refreshing natural ventilation.

We call the style of our homes Southwest Mountain Rustic. That stylistic choice results in very low maintenance, fire resistant materials on the exteriors of our homes: stucco walls and metal roofs. Our Phase 1 homes have wood trim. With the heightened concern about wildfires, Phase 2 homes will have fiber-cement trim and siding at gable ends, which is nonflammable. Other features include fire resistant attic venting, fire resistant decking, ember-proof skirting around the front porch, and a sprinkler system throughout.

Matt, our architect, brings deep expertise in passive solar design. He draws on his own experience living in cohousing and design work with six communities, including having designed our Common House and Phase 1 homes 25 years ago. All homes are oriented for optimal passive solar performance and natural daylighting, with south-facing windows and overhangs that capture winter sun while shading summer heat. The Ponderosa homes further benefit from expanded window wells that bring in lots of warm sunshine into their basements.

Simple roof designs and minimal corners result in low construction costs, low energy use, low maintenance, and an ideal configuration for solar panels. Most roof leaks occur where ice gets trapped in valleys. Our Phase 2 roofs won't have any valleys, making them very resistant to developing leaks. Long term, low maintenance is a top priority throughout our homes.

Unlike most conventional American homes that prioritize privacy at the expense of connection, cohousing is intentionally designed to support neighborly interaction while still honoring personal space — something especially valued by the many introverts who live in cohousing. Heartwood homes strike this balance by placing kitchens and front porches toward the pedestrian pathway for casual connection, while living rooms, bedrooms, and back patios are generally oriented toward the back of the home for privacy.

Phase 2 homes are designed for long-term flexibility, with adaptable living and dining spaces, multi-use bedrooms, and unfinished basements that allow homeowners to evolve their homes over time. Building on the success of Phase 1, the Ponderosa model offers a bright, livable basement that can remain unfinished or be economically finished — with or without a kitchen — and includes a separate entrance and an ADU permit.

Each home will have a top of the line Zehnder ERV to provide fresh, continuous filtered air flow. There are no gas appliances to pollute the indoor air nor are there any attached garages, which are the leading cause of indoor air pollution in homes. Homes will have low VOC finishes.

Creating spaces for spontaneous socializing is a central tenant of cohousing design. All Phase 2 homes will have covered front porches with ample room for furniture so they are inviting for sitting and visiting. Vaulted ceilings with a beam truss gives them a spacious rustic feel. 

In Phase 1 we learned that some of the front entries are a bit small so in Phase 2 homes we've made adjustments. All front entries will be close to the kitchen and have a mudroom or entry closet, which is very practical for our rural Colorado lifestyle. We’ve designed lots of storage space into the Phase 2 homes. The entry storage space is well laid out to keep jackets, shoes, pantry, recycling, etc. organized and out of the way.

Something that makes the Phase 1 homes special is our vaulted ceilings so we're adding even more in the Phase 2 homes. We'll have vaulted ceilings throughout the second floor and on the first floor where possible, giving the homes a spacious feel.

Matt has designed in lots of closets and shelves. Additionally, every home has either a basement or attic space with a pulldown ladder.

The homes come with the 2-10 Home Buyers Warranty ensuring years of peace of mind. You can find full details here.