Leaders of Green Building Practices Converge
Portland, OR – A network of architects, contractors, wood suppliers, and others supporting sustainable forestry and green building practices are having their annual meeting and award ceremony this March 16th at the Jean Vollum Natural Capital Center in Portland. This is a free event with food and drink. Everyone who shares in this commitment to support Oregon resources, responsible forestry, and green building practices are encouraged to attend.
The Build Local Alliance was founded with a mission to improve the vitality of local forests and related human communities by connecting local, responsibly grown and processed wood with local projects. The BLA goal to make it easier to get what’s grown in our region’s FSC-certified forests into the hands of local builders.
DATE: March 16th, 2010
TIME: 4pm to 8pm
LOCATION: The Billy Frank Jr. Room – Jean Vollum Natural Capital Center
721 NW 9th Avenue, 97209
AGENDA: - Awards for the Second Annual Build Local Challenge Competition
- Build Local Alliance Updates and Initiatives
- Priority Settings of Activities for 2010 (involvement needs)
- Opportunities for Market Connections
- Local Wood Supply Show
For Further Information Contact: Anton Vetterlein, Birkel-Vetterlein Design
(503) 866-1667
The BLA was featured in a front page article in the Oregonians Home and Garden section on September 4, 2009. Read the full article.
What is the Build Local Challenge?
The Challenge is an annual competition to recognize and honor individuals, companies, and organizations committed to advancing the use of locally and responsibly-sourced forest products in their building projects.
The Challenge is open to: Designers and architects; Contractors; Woodworkers; Wood Products Manufacturers; Home/building owners (educational institutions, agencies and nonprofits); Developers. Entries are limited to projects completed within a two hours drive of Portland. The competition will involve work begun during 2008- 2009 and completed by the end of 2009. Applicants can submit either a specific project or their company for consideration.
The criteria for making award decisions include:
Use of local wood and other resources (thriving local forests and economies)
Use of responsibly-sourced wood (advancing forest stewardship)
Partnerships along the value chain (adding value throughout the system)
Creative Expression and Innovation
Replicability (enabling others to follow your lead)
You tell Us: What are some of the other reasons that you deserve to win the Challenge (ex: affordability, innovation, etc.)
Winners will receive: recognition on our website and at the annual BLA meeting; along with media attention and an award. All applicants and their projects will be listed on the BLA website and will have the opportunity to display their projects at the annual meeting.
Schedule:
Application due by January 15th 2010
Awards will be presented at the BLA meeting in mid-Februar
Winning the Company Category
Green
Hammer Construction
www.greenhammerconstruction.com
“Green Hammer has made a fundamentally important choice, to source wood only from well-managed forests or from salvage. With forests all over the world being destroyed to bring cheap furniture and building materials to the U.S., I hope their choice will inspire others to join them." –Mike O’Brien, Challenge judge
Winning the Large Project Category
B&G
Builders, Inc.
"Daybreak looks like our future. To live well, we prefer to live among friendly neighbors, with a place of our own. To live within our means, we want smaller yet richer dwellings. The Daybreak team worked long and hard to build a place that accommodates this vision.” –Mike O’Brien, Challenge judge
Winning the Small Project Category
Sarah and John Ferguson
Kitchen Remodel
Through the remodel, “We learned a lot and worked with some great Portlanders. The hand of the artist and the natural materials add such character and warmth to our home. And, our whole family loves the beautiful kitchen!” Sarah Ferguson, homeowner.
To improve the vitality of local forests and related human communities by connecting local, responsibly grown and processed wood with local projects.
4th Annual Meeting
March 16th
PDF format
Logistics Coordinator Position Open
Get the details.
Challenge: Season 2
Take the challenge. Get the details.
Challenge Winners: Season 1
Congratulations
to all our winners. See the winners.
Oregonian
September 4, 2009
The Grangers were able to fashion their two-story home thus because of a growing Portland movement that's trying to do the same thing for home building that farmers' markets have done for how we eat.....
Oregonian
March 4, 2009
Local sustainable wood wins awards....
Portland Tribune
Nov 13, 2007
Increasingly, consumers are asking where their apples and tomatoes were grown....
KGW
Oct 4, 2007
Turning green into gold! It's a growing trend in Oregon among builders....
Portland Tribune
Dec 7, 2006
Local lumber is building bridges....
Ecotrust
November 1, 2006
An Oregon forest keeper practices alternatives....
Ecotrust
August 10, 2006
A new alliance of Portland-area builders seeks to expand on....