Build Local Challenge Winners - Season One

Each year, the Build Local Alliance (BLA) recognizes and honors individuals, companies,
and organizations committed to advancing the use of locally and responsibly-sourced forest
products in their building projects. 2008 marked the first annual Build Local Challenge.

Some of the criteria for the Challenge 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)

Company-based Winner

Green Hammer Building Contractors

www.greenhammerconstruction.com

 

“We hope the beauty of the wood and the local story it tells works synergistically to promote future projects.”

Stephen Aguier, Green Hammer president and founder

• In January of 2008 Green Hammer was certified as the first builder in North America to become FSC certified
• They use all (or no less than the minimum required of FSC) FSC or controlled wood and of that controlled/FSC certified wood and commit to sourcing 75% of it locally
• In November of 2008 Green Hammer was granted the designing and building with FSC award from FSC-US for building two LEED platinum homes in Portland entirely out of local FSC certified wood products
• In 2008 Green Hammer estimates 80% of its wood volume ~ 100K board feet ~ came from local FSC sources
• Green Hammer hopes by tracking its use of local FSC to innovate new ways of promoting FSC wood while raising the standard for accountability in green buildin

 

“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

 

Large Project Winner

Daybreak Co-Housing

B&G Builders, Inc.

www.bandgweb.com

 

Based in Northeast Portland, “B&G was founded to fulfill a vision of developing and constructing socially, economically and environmentally viable projects…through strong sustainable design and construction practices” (- from B&G website)

• Daybreak Cohousing, located on N. Killingsworth, is a 30 unit, 35,000 sq.ft. cohousing development that includes communal cooking, eating, laundry, workshop, and bike storage along with the condo units.
• Project Highlights:
• 100% of the dimensional framing lumber, plywood, and solid wood running interior trim used at Daybreak is FSC Certified
• A cedar tree that stood on the property that had to be removed is being milled and kiln dried in Mulino (25 miles southeast of Portland) to be used in the project
• As much lumber and material as possible was sourced within a 500 mile radius of the project – most of it is coming from much closer

 

"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

 

 

Small Project Winner

Kitchen remodel

Sarah and John Ferguson

 

“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

• Homeowners Sarah and John Ferguson remodeled their kitchen to replace plastic laminate cabinets. They followed three criteria: Support local craftspeople; use wood from a local sustainably managed forest; use other products from the Northwest region
• “On every aspect of the remodel, we found sustainable choices were readily available. But, it took some re-education on our part.” Sarah Ferguson, homeowner
• Project highlights:
• Wood for the cabinet doors came from Hyla Woods, 40 miles west of Portland.
• Maple came from trees thinned to improve forest health, and was milled and dried in a solar kiln on Hyla Woods forest property.
• Local cabinet maker Mike Gress, Cabinet Specialties,, created beautiful maple cabinets
• Countertops are made of 100% post consumer recycled paper made in WA
• Backsplash tiles were hand made and painted in Portland
• Molded drawer pulls made in Idaho