ADUs: The Perfect Housing Solution

This attractive coffee table book by journalist Koones (Prefabulous for Everyone) explores the benefits of the accessory dwelling unit (ADU), or a small secondary home “on the property of a main house that has its own entrance,” kitchen, bathroom, and sleeping area. Showcasing a variety of ADUs in the U.S. and Canada alongside the stories of their owners, Koones takes readers inside a Los Altos, Calif., unit that a husband and wife built so their adult daughter could live near them. Many homeowners cite energy efficiency as a top concern, such as the Minneapolis couple who installed on their ADU solar panels that distribute surplus energy to a utility company, which reimburses them. The homes range in size from a cozy 227-square-foot studio hideaway above a Palo Alto garage to a more spacious, two-floor abode in Avon, Conn., constructed for the owners’ aging parents. Though Koones contends that “a big motivation to build an ADU is the vast shortage of housing... in many areas of North America,” most of the homeowners report using theirs as guest quarters for visiting friends and family, raising questions about whether ADUs are really “the perfect housing solution.” Still, the contemporary architectural designs are sleek, and the environmentally friendly features offer insight into how housing can be made more efficient. This is worth a look. (Mar.)