Category Archives: Events

NW EcoBuilding Guild – Always Tackling Sticky Green Subjects!

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We had to laugh when we saw what the Northwest EcoBuilding Guild‘s topic was for their March educational event – What Sticks to What?. That certainly caught (and held!) our attention long enough to find out more about (what a lot of folks would consider) a seemingly boring topic (sealants, adhesives & tapes, oh boy!).

BUT industry pros, homeowners, DIYers and green aficionados beware! The Guild’s educational events are never dull, and we don’t expect this one to be either!

So, join us on March 23rd, 7-9pm, for:

What Sticks To What: Sealants, Adhesives, Tapes & Indoor Air Quality
LEARN FROM THE PROFESSIONAL COMMUNITY as our panel discusses indoor and exterior solutions that are part of changing best construction practices in the Northwest. Hear about materials, applications, and the finer points of innovation.

Facilitated by Tony Case of RDH Building Science, with speakers:

  • Robert Haverlock, Green Building Consultant who will talk about principles and products for indoor air quality, and share recent experiences.
  • Sharon Libby of Walsh Construction who will talk about a comprehensive study of exterior sealants, and shares some of her insights and experiences on high-performance building enclosures.

Where: Phinney Neighborhood Center, Lower Brick Building, 6532 Phinney Ave N, Seattle, WA 98103
Cost: Free, but $10 donation suggested for non-Guild members. More event info.

Must See Projects! 2015 Green Home Tour

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NWGHTThe 5th annual NW Green Home Tour, hosted by the Seattle Chapter of the Northwest EcoBuilding Guild, is only a few weeks away!

Saturday & Sunday, April 25th & 26th, 11am to 5pm

With a wide array of projects featuring everything from solar power to rainwater recycling, tour guides and project team members on-site, and a plethora of information and resources, this is a fantastic opportunity to really get inspired first-hand! Plus, it’s FREE!

We have to admit we are a little blown away by the sheer number of great sites on the tour this year (oh how to choose!), but we never-the-less made our selection of must-sees! Note that sites are open Saturday or Sunday only.

Open Saturday…

View Haus 5

View Haus 5

View Haus 5 in Madison Valley
Built by award winning Cascade Built & designed by b9 Architects, View Haus 5 is Seattle’s first Passive House-constructed townhome project. With 5 unique floor plans these 5-Star Built Green homes are visionary and built to last.

While in the Central area you might also stop by the Madrona Passive House.

Urban Haven in Magnolia
This modest 1940’s home was extensively remodeled in 2011 to increase natural light, energy efficiency, garden views, and unique storage space, and is now fully integrated into the sustainable garden, featuring cisterns, permeable paving, a small green roof, a compost fence, urban livestock and a large kitchen garden.

 

21 Acres in Woodinville
Visit 21 Acres, a LEED Platinum certified facility with the unique distinction of being fully integrated with 21 Acres’ own bio-diverse Organic farm. Walk the farm, shop the market, see the commercial kitchen and experience the entire green-built campus.

While in Woodinville you might also want to stop by Clearwater Commons.

Open Sunday…

Emerald Star Net Zero House in Ballard
Dwell Development’s first attempt to certify a project at the rigorous Emerald Star Built Green level. In fact, it will be the first single-family spec house in the Northwest to attempt such a feat. It’s more like 10 Star Built Green!

While in Ballard you might also stop by the Plum House by Green Canopy Homes.

City Cabins

City Cabins

City Cabins in North Seattle
Imagine living in a net-zero home with enough juice left over to charge the car! This is Martha Rose Construction’s latest 5-Star Built Green project, where you will find garden roofs and rain cisterns, stained concrete and stainless steel, and much more.

While in North Seattle you might also stop by the Greenwood LEED Platinum Prefab.

Retreat in the Trees in Sandpoint
SIPs construction, triple-pane windows, super-efficient ductless heat pump, LED lighting, compact, efficient appliances, low-flow water fixtures, and elegant use of a small space are just some of the features of this 400sf ADU.

While in NE Seattle you might also stop by the Lifestream Backyard Cottage.

 

Join us for the 2014 Green Building Slam!

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We are excited to announce that Fifth Street Commons has been chosen as 1 of the 10 projects to be featured at this year’s Seattle Green Building Slam! This annual event, hosted by the Northwest EcoBuilding Guild, celebrates “remarkable green building projects” around the Puget Sound, and presenters are given just 10 minutes to tell the story of their project!

On deck to present a (very brief!) story of how Fifth Street Commons evolved over the past 2 years will be JR Fulton and Ross Chapin. With project co-conspirators Cally Fulton and Debra Chapin cheering them on of course! It’s going to be a fun, high-energy evening with lots of great folks, as well as delicious food and drink. We hope you’ll join us!

When:  Saturday, November 15th, 5-9pm
Where:  University of Washington, Kane Hall (free parking!)
Tickets:  $25 ($10 for students) – Buy your tickets today!

We are of course only 1 of 10 projects being featured, and are honored to be presenting alongside our friends from Heartwood Builders, who are showcasing a wonderful project they completed this year in West Seattle, as well as the folks from Cascade Built, who are pushing the envelope with their passive houses in Capitol Hill. See the full list of presenters!

Must See Projects! 2014 Green Home Tour

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The 2014 Northwest Green Home Tour is just a few weeks away, and instead of taking place both Sat and Sun, this year’s tour will be one day only – Saturday, April 26th, from 11 am to 5 pm. With 35 sites all around Seattle, plus a handful of fun Sustainability Stops, there’s a lot to see! So here’s our list of must-see homes!

NWGHT

Drinking Rainwater in Ballard
This 100 year old home in Ballard was remodeled for ‘low consumption’, and now has the first legal whole house rainwater catchment and filtration system in the city of Seattle. Thanks to a 2280 watt solar PV array, LED lighting, energy efficient appliances and habits, the homeowners have also reduced their annual electric bill to just $125, and now get paid for the electricity they produce. 7703 26th Ave NW, Seattle, WA 98117

If you’re interested in rainwater systems, don’t stop there! Head over to RainWise – NW Seattle, another site with an impressive 5 cisterns (diverting 50k+ gallons of rainwater a year) and beautiful/functional rain gardens. 2034 NW 60th St, Seattle 98107

Lifestream Backyard Cottage
This backyard cottage in Maple Leaf was built to demonstrate a new model in healthy home construction by integrating innovative wall systems, non-toxic materials, shielded electrical systems, fiberglass re-bar slab, & energy efficiency features, and will be particular interesting to those concerned with chemical &/or electromagnetic sensitivities. 9100 15th Ave NE, Seattle, 98115

There are a handful of backyard cottages (in all shapes & sizes) on the tour this year, so head on over to the North Seattle Backyard Cottage in Greenwood, the Falcon’s Nest is Ballard, and the Baker Cottage in Fremont.

Burke-Gilman HouseBurke-Gilman House
Strikingly modern yet sensibly smart, this modern home was designed for an active couple looking to stay put as their mobility decreases. It also includes passive solar orientation and cold roof design, a high performance building envelope and energy saving systems, as well as water saving fixtures and underground rainwater cisterns. 3334 NE Blakeley Street, Seattle, WA 98105

HOME reclaimed
How do you transform the beauty, resources and intrinsic value of a 1938 Tudor into a modern dwelling? While also achieving a 5 Star Built Green rating, a certified HERS index score of 55, ENERGY STAR qualification and Water-Sense certification? Well, you’ll just have to visit this amazing remodel project in Seward Park to find out. 4007 49th Ave, Seattle, WA 98118

While in the neighborhood, also stop by the Opperman-Lee Deep Green Remodel, an exquisite remodel of a severely neglected 1952 house by owner/designer/builder Vicky Opperman.

Historic House Deep Green Remodel
The challenges involved in remodeling, restoring and energy retrofitting this beautiful 1904 Capitol Hill home were immense, but were overcome with perseverance, humor, ingenuity and painstakingly detailed work. Don’t miss this opportunity to see the impressive result of a job well done. 716 17th Avenue E, Seattle, WA 98112

But don’t stop there! Browse all Northwest Green Home Tour Sites, use the interactive maps, and go get inspired! The Northwest Green Home Tour is free and open to the public, thanks to the Northwest EcoBuilding Guild and Built Green, as well as a host of amazing sponsors.

Don’t Miss the 2013 Green Building Slam!

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10 projects x 10 slides x 10 minutes! That’s the recipe for an exciting, high-energy evening of presentations by some of the Puget Sound’s best green home designers and builders. Hosted by the Seattle Chapter of the Northwest EcoBuilding Guild, and emceed by Roger Faris (best known for his home repair show on KUOW), this year’s Green Building Slam is an evening you won’t want to miss.

Saturday, Nov 16th, 5-10pm
University of Washington, Kane Hall (2nd Floor)

Park Passive

Park Passive by Cascade Built

Here’s the schedule:

5:00 p.m. – Registration, Drinks & Appetizers, Networking
6:30 p.m. – SLAM begins (15 minute intermission around 7:45 p.m.)
9:00 p.m. – Networking, Dessert & Coffee

And, here are a few of the projects/presenters:

Park Passive House – Joe Giampietro of NK Architects & Sloan Richie of Cascade Built
City Cabins at Columbia Station –
Martha Rose of Martha Rose Construction
Historic House Deep Green Remodel – George Ostrow of Velocipede Architects & Jon Alexander of Sunshine Construction

We hope to see you there!