SOLAIRE HOMEBUILDERS NAMED CENTRAL OREGON GREEN BUILDER OF THE YEAR
According to a recent article in the Wall Street Journal,
green building is one of the top 10 trends in architecture
today. With construction being such a huge part of the
Central Oregon economy, here at CBN, we determined it would
not be possible to do an environmental-focused issue without
including the construction industry. And who better to
feature than the company who was recently named Central
Oregon's Green Builder of the Year - SolAire
Homebuilders.
Perhaps you've seen their billboards around town, checked out
their website or actually talked with them at one of the home
shows. However, even if you have not, it doesn't take much
work to figure out that SolAire Homebuilders is Central
Oregon's original and premier "green" builder. And if you
don't believe us, just ask their peers (and competitors) at
the Central Oregon Builders Association (COBA) who recently
honored SolAire with the regional building industry's first
ever "Green Builder of the Year" award.
Tim Knopp, COBA's Vice President and Executive Director
stated, "The criteria for this award were based on industry
accomplishments, civic activities and involvement /
leadership in the respective category. COBA has represented
the building industry in Central Oregon since 1972, and began
our awards program to honor the regions top builders with
excellence and quality construction awards in 1982. This year
we implemented a long-awaited category expansion to now
include the increasingly popular "green building" sector
amongst other new categories. I was pleased to announce that
our inaugural Green Builder of the Year award was earned by
SolAire Homebuilders, a company that has been a leader in
this category for many years," said Knopp.
Mike O'Neil President and Founder of SolAire Homebuilders
stated, "Wow! What a great honor. We have been building and
promoting sustainable housing for over a decade now, but to
be recognized by your peers as the best of the best at what
you do, well… it's hard to find words to express
gratitude."
The SolAire team works hard to include as many
environmentally friendly and energy efficient features in
their homes as possible. This includes the following items
being standard in every SolAire home;
• Passive solar concept design
• Highly insulated and tightly sealed building envelope
• High efficiency heating and cooling
• High efficiency water heater
• Zero VOC blown in blanket fiber insulation
• Low VOC paint,
• Low VOC cabinets
• Low VOC recycled content carpet
• All exterior doors are insulated fiberglass or steel
• All ductwork and furnaces are located in heated spaces,
• Low E / high efficiency vinyl windows
• Tyvek house wrap
• Energy Star appliances
• Compact fluorescent light bulbs
• Low waste building practices
• On-site materials recycling program, and more.
The company also offers many upgrade options including active solar electricity, ICF walls, radiant floor heating and many other state of the art technologies. "Our typical home is 15-25% more energy efficient than a standard stick frame house built to code," said O'Neil. "And with our available upgrades we can reduce a homeowner's energy expense by well over 50%!" Of course some of the key benefits to building green are:
• Lower electric and water utility costs
• Environmentally effective use of building materials
• Enhanced health and productivity
• Reduced environmental impact
• Higher re-sale value
The important thing to understand about SolAire is that they are not a developer, they do not build neighborhoods, and they don't even build spec homes. Their niche is clear, and they pride themselves on being the best at what they do; Build quality custom, energy efficient homes on your land. Moreover, while every builder in the region seems to be jumping on the "green" bandwagon today, SolAire's green "roots" go back to its inception in 1995 when Mike & Cindi O'Neil founded the company based on their desire to build more environmentally friendly homes. They were amongst the leaders in the sustainable construction practice movement long before green was cool. In fact, SolAire was the first Earth Advantage® builder in Central Oregon and they still build every one of their homes to Earth Advantage and Energy Star standards or above.
Earth Advantage is a green building certification program that was founded by PGE, but has transformed itself over the past decade from a utility-based energy conservation focus to a fully encompassed sustainability program. Today Earth Advantage is now a freestanding nonprofit organization acting as the Northwest's best-recognized green building program. According to Shawn Penrith, Earth Advantage's Executive Director, "We work with builders and developers to bring the most energy efficient, sustainable and healthy homes to the market. We participate with other nonprofits, organizations and associations to bring forth the message of conservation and sustainability. Our organization provides a suite of sustainable programs including Earth Advantage, LEED residential and Energy Star." SolAire is also one of only two builders who are "five-star" founding members of the local Building Green Council of Central Oregon.
"This spring we will be unveiling our new, proprietary "Value Bundle Package" (VBP) home pricing structure," said Ms. O'Neil. "We have spent an enormous amount of time and effort figuring out how to give our clients the most value for their dollar - in essence how to make green affordable. Our approach enables buyers to build the custom home of their dreams, or use our new VBP system to simplify the process. In that case, our home coordinators work with you to select from one of our 15 home designs, and then apply a silver, gold or platinum VBP to the home style of their choice. Each level has an increased value bundle package that offers a unique combination on features including energy efficiency, creature comforts, aesthetics, life cycle cost savings and even solar power attributes. However the best part is even our silver package exceeds Energy Star and Earth Advantage standards," said O'Neil.
So what exactly is green building and why do we need it? That all kind of depends on who you ask. We find it interesting that if you enter the words "green building" into the search field of Dictionary.com, Encarta or Merriam Webster's on-line dictionary, you get a "does not compute" answer. Yet when you enter the same two words into a Google search you get nealy195,000,000 (that's right… 195 million) possible answers! No wonder as consumers we're all so confused.
According to Cindi O'Neil, "To me the true definition of Green building is as easy as 1, 2, 3;"
1. Increase the efficiency with which buildings and their sites use and harvest energy, water and materials.
2. Build structures that are healthier for the occupants and healthier for the environment through better siting, design, construction, operation, maintenance, and removal - the complete building life cycle.
3. Ensure aesthetic harmony between a structure and the surrounding natural area.
SolAire's commitment to green building runs deeper than a market niche - it's a way of life for the O'Neil's. In fact, they even weave their philanthropy into their philosophy. Mike is the recent past president of COBA, where under his leadership the association nearly doubled in size as he fought for a substantial increase in awareness and action concerning sustainable construction practices. In addition, perhaps the most shining example is the recent announcement that SolAire has signed a multi-year agreement with the Environmental Center of Central Oregon to become the title sponsor of the popular Salmon Run. This will be the 14th annual family 5k and 10k walk and run. The new SolAire Salmon Run will be the official kick off for Riverfest, a week dedicated to bring awareness and restoration projects to the Deschutes River. Proceeds from the SolAire Salmon Run will support local conservation efforts, including river and stream restoration and education.
"Our interest in supporting the Salmon Run lies primarily in the fact that Mike and I strongly identify with the preservation, protection and restoration of riparian systems. The loss of the Salmon runs, the steelhead runs and the native Redband trout in our rivers and streams in Central Oregon is very unfortunate. Rivers are the "life blood" of our ecosystems. The health of our native fish species is a reflection of the quality of our land management practices, including how we treat the rivers and its inhabitants when we fish," said O'Neil. The 14th Annual SolAire Salmon Run will be held on Saturday, May 6th at McKay Park in Bend. For more information, please visit www.SolAireSalmonRun.org.
Green Evolves From Niche To Mainstream
Gone are the days when the perception of green-built homes only included recycled tires, aluminum cans and awkward solar panels. Now, solar power systems can be hidden on rooftops, insulation made of recycled material becomes invisible behind walls covered with nontoxic paint, and more efficient heating and cooling systems are woven into the home's inner skeleton. Leading green builders like SolAire also use framing techniques that cut down on waste; sometimes even looking for opportunities to use salvaged materials as long as structural and aesthetic qualities are not compromised.
As the ultimate sign of commitment the O'Neil's have decided to put their money where their mouth is. They are building their new corporate headquarters, which they will move into this spring. The building is located in the Northwest Crossing neighborhood in Bend and will act as a showcase for what can be done with green building today. It features solar power, Arxx ICF walls, in-floor radiant heating, and many other environmentally friendly and extreme energy efficient products. Having built over 200 homes in the last ten years, SolAire is poised for strong growth with the goal of building approximately 50 new custom homes here in Central Oregon over the next 12 months alone. We have recently hired seven new team members and have engaged the Berman Consulting Group to guide our business development and strategic marketing efforts," said O'Neil. We're going to need a new place from which to springboard all of this great momentum.
However… the really big news is that SolAire recently made a decision to convert about 1,000 square feet of the new building into a unique concept that will benefit all of Central Oregon. We are pleased to take this opportunity to announce that we will be launching the new Central Oregon Green Building Resource Center - a FREE showroom and non-biased information outlet where consumers, architects, designers and even other builders can come see, touch and learn more about cutting edge sustainable building products, practices, credits and rebates available when building green! "We are constantly looking for ways to stay on the cutting edge. In fact, we recently returned from the National Green Building Conference in Albuquerque New Mexico where we were able to further our commitment to continued education, and bring that information back home here to Central Oregon.
While there is no hard data available today on the number of "green" homes or commercial buildings being built in Central Oregon, it's no surprise that every expert will tell you it is on the rise. "When we see signs like the Midstate Electric co-op building in La Pine earning the first LEED gold rating in the state (East of the Cascades) and the tour of homes adding an award category for "Best Green Home" it definitely means things are heading in the right direction," said O'Neil.
There are a growing number of on-line resources for people wanting more information on green building. If you want to learn more we suggest you visit the following websites; Locally: www.SolAireHomebuilders.com, www.EarthAdvantage.org, www.TheGreenSpot.org, www.3eStrategies.org. Nationally: www.nahb.org, www.usgbc.org, www.energy.gov
• Passive solar concept design
• Highly insulated and tightly sealed building envelope
• High efficiency heating and cooling
• High efficiency water heater
• Zero VOC blown in blanket fiber insulation
• Low VOC paint,
• Low VOC cabinets
• Low VOC recycled content carpet
• All exterior doors are insulated fiberglass or steel
• All ductwork and furnaces are located in heated spaces,
• Low E / high efficiency vinyl windows
• Tyvek house wrap
• Energy Star appliances
• Compact fluorescent light bulbs
• Low waste building practices
• On-site materials recycling program, and more.
The company also offers many upgrade options including active solar electricity, ICF walls, radiant floor heating and many other state of the art technologies. "Our typical home is 15-25% more energy efficient than a standard stick frame house built to code," said O'Neil. "And with our available upgrades we can reduce a homeowner's energy expense by well over 50%!" Of course some of the key benefits to building green are:
• Lower electric and water utility costs
• Environmentally effective use of building materials
• Enhanced health and productivity
• Reduced environmental impact
• Higher re-sale value
The important thing to understand about SolAire is that they are not a developer, they do not build neighborhoods, and they don't even build spec homes. Their niche is clear, and they pride themselves on being the best at what they do; Build quality custom, energy efficient homes on your land. Moreover, while every builder in the region seems to be jumping on the "green" bandwagon today, SolAire's green "roots" go back to its inception in 1995 when Mike & Cindi O'Neil founded the company based on their desire to build more environmentally friendly homes. They were amongst the leaders in the sustainable construction practice movement long before green was cool. In fact, SolAire was the first Earth Advantage® builder in Central Oregon and they still build every one of their homes to Earth Advantage and Energy Star standards or above.
Earth Advantage is a green building certification program that was founded by PGE, but has transformed itself over the past decade from a utility-based energy conservation focus to a fully encompassed sustainability program. Today Earth Advantage is now a freestanding nonprofit organization acting as the Northwest's best-recognized green building program. According to Shawn Penrith, Earth Advantage's Executive Director, "We work with builders and developers to bring the most energy efficient, sustainable and healthy homes to the market. We participate with other nonprofits, organizations and associations to bring forth the message of conservation and sustainability. Our organization provides a suite of sustainable programs including Earth Advantage, LEED residential and Energy Star." SolAire is also one of only two builders who are "five-star" founding members of the local Building Green Council of Central Oregon.
"This spring we will be unveiling our new, proprietary "Value Bundle Package" (VBP) home pricing structure," said Ms. O'Neil. "We have spent an enormous amount of time and effort figuring out how to give our clients the most value for their dollar - in essence how to make green affordable. Our approach enables buyers to build the custom home of their dreams, or use our new VBP system to simplify the process. In that case, our home coordinators work with you to select from one of our 15 home designs, and then apply a silver, gold or platinum VBP to the home style of their choice. Each level has an increased value bundle package that offers a unique combination on features including energy efficiency, creature comforts, aesthetics, life cycle cost savings and even solar power attributes. However the best part is even our silver package exceeds Energy Star and Earth Advantage standards," said O'Neil.
So what exactly is green building and why do we need it? That all kind of depends on who you ask. We find it interesting that if you enter the words "green building" into the search field of Dictionary.com, Encarta or Merriam Webster's on-line dictionary, you get a "does not compute" answer. Yet when you enter the same two words into a Google search you get nealy195,000,000 (that's right… 195 million) possible answers! No wonder as consumers we're all so confused.
According to Cindi O'Neil, "To me the true definition of Green building is as easy as 1, 2, 3;"
1. Increase the efficiency with which buildings and their sites use and harvest energy, water and materials.
2. Build structures that are healthier for the occupants and healthier for the environment through better siting, design, construction, operation, maintenance, and removal - the complete building life cycle.
3. Ensure aesthetic harmony between a structure and the surrounding natural area.
SolAire's commitment to green building runs deeper than a market niche - it's a way of life for the O'Neil's. In fact, they even weave their philanthropy into their philosophy. Mike is the recent past president of COBA, where under his leadership the association nearly doubled in size as he fought for a substantial increase in awareness and action concerning sustainable construction practices. In addition, perhaps the most shining example is the recent announcement that SolAire has signed a multi-year agreement with the Environmental Center of Central Oregon to become the title sponsor of the popular Salmon Run. This will be the 14th annual family 5k and 10k walk and run. The new SolAire Salmon Run will be the official kick off for Riverfest, a week dedicated to bring awareness and restoration projects to the Deschutes River. Proceeds from the SolAire Salmon Run will support local conservation efforts, including river and stream restoration and education.
"Our interest in supporting the Salmon Run lies primarily in the fact that Mike and I strongly identify with the preservation, protection and restoration of riparian systems. The loss of the Salmon runs, the steelhead runs and the native Redband trout in our rivers and streams in Central Oregon is very unfortunate. Rivers are the "life blood" of our ecosystems. The health of our native fish species is a reflection of the quality of our land management practices, including how we treat the rivers and its inhabitants when we fish," said O'Neil. The 14th Annual SolAire Salmon Run will be held on Saturday, May 6th at McKay Park in Bend. For more information, please visit www.SolAireSalmonRun.org.
Green Evolves From Niche To Mainstream
Gone are the days when the perception of green-built homes only included recycled tires, aluminum cans and awkward solar panels. Now, solar power systems can be hidden on rooftops, insulation made of recycled material becomes invisible behind walls covered with nontoxic paint, and more efficient heating and cooling systems are woven into the home's inner skeleton. Leading green builders like SolAire also use framing techniques that cut down on waste; sometimes even looking for opportunities to use salvaged materials as long as structural and aesthetic qualities are not compromised.
As the ultimate sign of commitment the O'Neil's have decided to put their money where their mouth is. They are building their new corporate headquarters, which they will move into this spring. The building is located in the Northwest Crossing neighborhood in Bend and will act as a showcase for what can be done with green building today. It features solar power, Arxx ICF walls, in-floor radiant heating, and many other environmentally friendly and extreme energy efficient products. Having built over 200 homes in the last ten years, SolAire is poised for strong growth with the goal of building approximately 50 new custom homes here in Central Oregon over the next 12 months alone. We have recently hired seven new team members and have engaged the Berman Consulting Group to guide our business development and strategic marketing efforts," said O'Neil. We're going to need a new place from which to springboard all of this great momentum.
However… the really big news is that SolAire recently made a decision to convert about 1,000 square feet of the new building into a unique concept that will benefit all of Central Oregon. We are pleased to take this opportunity to announce that we will be launching the new Central Oregon Green Building Resource Center - a FREE showroom and non-biased information outlet where consumers, architects, designers and even other builders can come see, touch and learn more about cutting edge sustainable building products, practices, credits and rebates available when building green! "We are constantly looking for ways to stay on the cutting edge. In fact, we recently returned from the National Green Building Conference in Albuquerque New Mexico where we were able to further our commitment to continued education, and bring that information back home here to Central Oregon.
While there is no hard data available today on the number of "green" homes or commercial buildings being built in Central Oregon, it's no surprise that every expert will tell you it is on the rise. "When we see signs like the Midstate Electric co-op building in La Pine earning the first LEED gold rating in the state (East of the Cascades) and the tour of homes adding an award category for "Best Green Home" it definitely means things are heading in the right direction," said O'Neil.
There are a growing number of on-line resources for people wanting more information on green building. If you want to learn more we suggest you visit the following websites; Locally: www.SolAireHomebuilders.com, www.EarthAdvantage.org, www.TheGreenSpot.org, www.3eStrategies.org. Nationally: www.nahb.org, www.usgbc.org, www.energy.gov
