08 Jun Using a Greener Stucco
ome stuccos are greener than others and we’re just wrapping up work with one of the most sustainable stuccos available. ...
sustainable Tag
20 Mar Desert Rain Garners More Media Attention
The latest in a series of Bend Bulletin articles chronicling the Desert Rain project, this article gives a brief overview of project parameters as well as insight in to some of the methodology behind the project....
21 Nov Using Fly Ash: Greener Concrete
The foundation is well underway at Desert Rain, the Living Building Challenge home we are building in one of Bend, Oregon's older neighborhoods. At every step of the way, this project involves careful consideration of the materials used, where they come from, how they...
11 Nov Desert Rain: the first in Central Oregon to use Juniper as an Alternative to Pressure Treated Lumber
We have been working closely with Parr Lumber, in Bend, to identify and source an alternative to Pressure Treated (PT) Lumber for the Desert Rain Project. This Living Building Challenge project has pushed us and out suppliers to look at every aspect of building in a...
18 Oct What if every single act of design and construction made the world a better place?
We were so taken by Paul McGinnis's discussion of the Living Building Challenge that we wanted to share some excerpts from his recent post on The New York Green Advocate: ...
11 Aug Desert Rain: Breaking Ground
Last week, we broke ground on the Living Building Challenge project, Desert Rain. It's an exciting project that has been in the works for some time. The commencement of construction was an exciting step for everyone involved. Excavation is not an easy process on this project. The views offered by...
04 May Update: Reclaiming the Potato Barn
The potato barn wood reclamation project has been a slow but steady process. As more of the wood is revealed, we able to better assess the product and the appropriate applications for it. For now, we've identified the floor joists from the barn as potential trusses and rafters...
18 Apr Recycled Glass Bottles Used for Insulation?
We recently worked with local insulation installer, ECI Insulation, to identify and install a sustainable and energy efficient batt style insulation for areas of the Shevlin Commons Home that were not constructed with SIPs. Using the the "Prescription for a Healthy Home" Guidelines, it is...
04 Feb Reclaiming Lumber & Timbers from a Prineville Potato Barn
We recently visited an old potato barn in Central Oregon with the hopes of reclaiming lumber and large timbers. The barn owner plans to tear down the structure because it is in disrepair and is a safety concern and a liability. Our hope is to...
03 Feb LBC – the Most Stringent Green Building Standard
This article from EcoHome highlights some of the challenges that our Desert Rain team faces in designing, sourcing, and eventually building this ultra green home in Bend. Living Buildings By: Rick Schwolsky [caption id="attachment_562" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="DESERT RAIN HOUSE "You have to question every building practice you thought was...