Please note that this page will be continuously updated as new questions are received. We anticipate a significant influx of questions following our first Q&A session, scheduled for July 31, 2023, conducted via Zoom.
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How do you submit payment for the entry fee?
After your Registration form is submit and verified, the Team Leader will receive an email invoice for $30, from mGAP‘s PayPal account. You can pay via PayPal or Venmo.
Are you taking applications now or can you only register starting on the early bird registration date, which is on July 26th?
The Registration site is currently LIVE, so feel free to register. Click here to Register
Is the competition limited only to Undergraduate students?
The competition is opened to both Undergraduate and Graduate architectual students.
What is responsible for the demographic shift that necessitates development of age-friendly housing?
By 2034 there will be more NJ residents over the age of 60 than there will be children in public schools. We are in a longevity revolution and our housing stock has not accommodated this demographic shift.
What are some illustrations of environmentally responsible materials?
Heat pumps, convection ovens, construction materials that do not emit volatile gases.
How should I envision a sustainable design?
One way to envision such a design is to think that the structure will house 7 generations of occupants with differing physical needs.
What are the main considerations for creating barrier-free designs?
See Shelter Force Magazine’s Cross Disability Design Makes Housing Better for Everyone
If I am a semi-finalist, will I have to provide demonstration boards?
Yes, we are expecting semi-finalists to provide a 3ft by 5ft design board that can be mounted on an easel.
What do you mean by Universal Design? Can you give examples?
Are there any specific fire safety or building code requirements that the ADU designs need to comply with to ensure the safety of the occupants?
Yes, all ADU designs must follow the NJ subcodes as indicated on the website, https://www.nj.gov/dca/divisions/codes/codreg/
Are there any specific guidelines or resources available to help us incorporate sustainable design features and environmentally responsible materials into our ADU proposals?
Reference website, https://greenmanual.rutgers.edu/new-residential/
If Montclair is worried about overburdening local drainage systems
(due to increased storm runoff) then should all student projects
include runoff mitigation measures? (e.g. green roofs, rain gardens,
detention tanks/cisterns, softscapes, etc)?
Sustainability is one criterion jurors will use when evaluating submissions. Sustainability describes an ADU design that incorporates materials, products, means and methods meant to reduce the environmental impact. For that reason, submissions that anticipate runoff mitigation measures like green roofs, rain gardens, detention tanks/cisterns, softscapes, etc will be addressing some of the means for mitigation.
Will use of a green roof mitigate permeability constraints ?
Green roofs are still considered impervious and would not eliminate a variance for impervious coverage. But, an applicant could make the argument that a green roof helps mitigate the impact of the excess impervious area and offer recommedation for a variance.
Reference code below,
Montclair Code § 347-20B