Media Release:

PORTLAND, Ore. – Two residential projects in the Portland area by Green Hammer will use, top to bottom, wood from responsible sources.
Because home construction typically involves many sources and types of wood, the accomplishment is a major one, and the projects are the first of their kind in the country, according to Stephen Aiguier, president of Green Hammer (http://www.greenhammer.com).
The company is a design/build firm that has been committed to building homes as sustainably as possible since 2002. When a client asked last year that an addition be built only with wood harvested from local or responsibly managed forests, Green Hammer suggested aiming for 100 percent Forest Stewardship Council certified wood. (http://www.fscus.org).
FSC, a non-profit organization dedicated to environmentally sound, socially beneficial and economically prosperous management of the world’s forests, had primarily focused its oversight on raw wood and consumer products made from that wood—chairs, tables and cabinets. Making a standard for a house became the next logical step, Aiguier said.
The conscientious clients, Brian Kirkpatrick and Bettina von Hagen, agreed with Aiguier. “Once I met them, it was a natural fit,” he said.
Up until then, Green Hammer had been specifying about 90 percent FSC-compliant wood. Urban Timberworks (http://www.urbantimberworks.com), Green Hammer’s sister company, is an FSC wood supplier.
Because Green Hammer was committed to sourcing sustainable wood, the contractor had already become the first builder in North America to earn an FSC Chain of Custody certificate, a designation that ensures that FSC certified wood is tracked from certified forests through processing to the end consumer.
The contractor’s commitments did not go unnoticed. Green Hammer was encouraged last year to join the FSC. Green Hammer is the first builder in North American to become a member of the Council,
“We applaud Green Hammer and the whole team working to make the Kirkpatrick-von Hagen project possible,” said Corey Brinkema, president of FSC US. “This type of marketplace transformation will have great benefits in the forest.”
Completed in 2010, the Kirkpatrick-von Hagen project is a 360-sq.ft., two-story live/work addition to a 1926 bungalow in the Sellwood neighborhood of southeast Portland. It was constructed using pre-fabricated panel sections, so the building was erected and dried-in within three days. The addition features FSC-certified wood throughout. Cedar shiplap paneled ceilings, exposed doug fir beams, and cedar siding from a local forest are finished with a clear coat to show its natural beauty. By using wood, the addition meets the highest energy efficiency standard called Passivhaus (www.passivhaus.org).
The project was recently awarded an honorable mention by the FSC for its 2011 residential project awards. It was also a featured home in the Build It Green! Home Tour put on by the City of Portland in September.

The second project Green Hammer is building with entirely sustainable wood is a single-family home in NE Portland that is also aiming for Passive House certification.  The framing plan called for joists that up to now were not available with the FSC label.  Parr Lumber was able to source the joists from Boise Cascade making the entire framing package FSC. The project is scheduled for completion in 2012.
Green Hammer hopes to make FSC wood the benchmark on all its projects and set the bar for others.
“For me, it is a deep commitment,” Aiguier said. “It is one way to have an affect that is regenerative. We are trying to set an example for the entire building community, saying ‘This is the affect you can have.’ I’m not the only one out there, but I believe it’s my responsibility that we do take a stand when we can.”
Ryan Temple of Sustainable Northwest Wood (http://www.snwwood.com), an FSC wood supplier for Green Hammer, thinks the market is ready, and the supply is available. The market for responsible wood has basically tripled in the last five years or so, Temple said.
“Definitely, you could say it is a bright spot in an otherwise down market for wood products,” he said, adding that he’s seeing more and more lumber yards offer FSC-certified wood, increasing his competition. “At some point, we’re excited about that.”

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Find the article here.

September 19, 2011

Portland, Ore. — A budget-conscious, urban home in North Carolina designed by Portland architect Daryl Rantis is featured in the October/November issue of Fine Homebuilding magazine.

The home in the Chicken Hill neighborhood of Asheville, N.C., was designed with a strict budget to meet the needs of downsized-but-contemporary lifestyles.

The urban feel of the vertical home was specifically designed to appeal to a modern sensibility and fit on a small lot, said Rantis, the Director of Design at Green Hammer in Portland, Ore., a design/build firm.

The style of the house is a fusion of modern and Craftsman, reflecting the contemporary lifestyles of city dwellers while paying respect to the architecture and cultural heritage of western North Carolina with its rich tradition of highly detailed architecture. Details of the home are more typical of Craftsman-style houses, which are traditionally known for their thought-out finishes.

The Fine Homebuilding article, “Form Follows Function,” focuses on the home’s small footprint. The three-story design uses less foundation (concrete) and less roofing (metal), two materials used for their longevity but are also carbon intensive. The small footprint of the building still allows a reasonable amount of square footage (app. 1,500), even on a tiny lot.

The interior is appointed with minimalist trim details and modern cabinetry that breaks from the traditional Craftsman. Wood beams and floors in the living areas give it a clean, yet warm interior.

The skin of the building, made from cement fiber panels, reduces the amount of wood and maintenance. It is contrasted with the use of locally harvested cypress for its warmth and beauty.

The rear balconies provide both view and privacy — two things that are important in urban exterior living spaces.

The neighborhood’s proximity to downtown Asheville, the River Arts District and public transportation allows private, detached home ownership in an urban area. A family could live in the home with less dependence on a car.

The house is solar ready with roof angles, and plumbing was added for a direct solar panel application. This can be combined with radiant floor heat in the lower level to add more energy efficiency and comfort to the residence.

Built by Bill MacCurdy of Sun Construction in 2009, the home has won a design award from the Asheville Home Builders Association. This house, designed to be part of a six-building cluster, takes risks while trying to remain practical and livable on a very tight site and market.

The magazine will hit shelves Sept. 20.

Daryl Rantis relocated to Portland from Asheville, North Carolina to become Director of Design at Green Hammer, Inc. in July 2011.  Green Hammer is a design-build firm whose objective is to achieve the highest level of health, comfort, craft, and efficiency.  Green Hammer is a leading builder of Passive House buildings.  Daryl’s role at Green Hammer is to ensure that all projects are beautiful and delightful demonstrations of craft and innovation.

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Find the full article here:  http://www.finehomebuilding.com/design/articles/form-follows-function.aspx?ac=ts&ra=fp

Age: 34

Hometown: Hinesburg, VT

What does your company do?
We design, engineer and build ultra high-performance living and work spaces to inspire  urban livability.

What led to your present career?
The very short version in one breath: I grew up as a carpenter; studied physics, design, community development and applied economics; got fed up with my office job in Boston; hitched out to Portland and started swinging the green hammer.

Most significant issue you face:
We’re just now beginning to recognize the impending and severe hangover that will result from the sudden halt in cheap energy and environmental issues resulting from massive carbon emissions and over-taxed natural resources. That said, truly the most significant issue I face is looking my daughter in the eye daily and honestly saying, “I’m doing everything I can.”

Hot topic in your field:
The German Passive House standard. Germany’s best physicists came up with a fossil fuel exit strategy through building homes and commercial spaces with superior indoor air quality, comfort and performance that use a tenth of the energy of traditional buildings.

How do you relax? Surfing the Oregon Coast

Charitable or political cause:  I support a wide variety of nonprofits dedicated to the environment and sustainability.

Favorite book from the past 12 months: ‘Urbanize and Insulate’ A Fossil Fuel Exit Strategy

Music most recently purchased: Eddie Palmieri’s “Simpatico”

Favorite local restaurant: Bamboo Sushi . Their sushi and nonfish fare are fantastic!

Favorite travel destination: Italy

Personal trivia: I grew up with a father who was a hobby naturalist and spent many years learning how to find and forage wonderfully delicious foods from the forest. Now one of my favorite annual activities is foraging for chanterelle mushrooms with my daughter, Olive.

Please read the full description here: GH Architect Job Description

Preview and purchase Urbanize and Insulate

by Daily Journal of Commerce Oregon

May 14, 2010

The Passive House concept is being actively implemented in Portland. The method’s popularity among builders and architects is rising as the industry seeks to accomplish ambitious goals to cut energy use. Passive House, a German-born design-build method, uses an airtight building envelope and advanced energy… Read the full article