Triple Green Building Certification Is Achievable

Portland and Seattle-based builder Hammer & Hand was recently awarded the 2015 Housing Innovation Award from the U.S. Department of Energy for its energy consulting on and construction of the Pumpkin Ridge Passive House designed by Scott | Edwards Architecture. Builder and architect worked together closely to meet the homeowners’ spatial and aesthetic goals while also meeting the performance metrics of the most rigorous building energy standard in the world: Passive House.

Pumpkin Ridge Passive House has been certified by three green building certification programs. (Photo by Jeff Amram)

The Pumpkin Ridge Passive House harnesses the simplicity of Passive House design to deliver superb comfort and efficiency at minimal added construction cost. The house is no more expensive to own on a monthly basis than a conventional custom home, when monthly energy costs are considered alongside mortgage, taxes and insurance. Yet the high performance green building will consume 90% less heating energy and offer exceptional comfort and indoor air quality. It is one of six homes in the Pacific Northwest to be featured by Northwest ENERGY STAR® as a “super-efficient demonstration home.”

Per DOE’s statement,

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) knows there is one chance during home construction to lock in critical performance measures that can take the homeowner experience to a new level of efficiency, comfort, health, and durability. But it will take housing industry leadership to provide this opportunity to American homebuyers. That’s why DOE proudly recognizes Hammer & Hand as one of our nation’s select 2015 Housing Innovation Award winning builders paving a path to this home of the future, today.
Pumpkin Ridge Passive House Full Wall Assembly. (Image Courtesy Hammer & Hand)

Per Rick Berry, Principal at Scott | Edwards Architecture,

In an effort to create timeless architecture, all of our designs begin by responding to the site and listening to the owner’s vision. By integrating Hammer & Hand’s Passive House expertise into our design process early, we were able to shape the home into a fusion of performance and design. The home’s architecture becomes an expression of its performance imperatives as a low-carbon building.

Pumpkin Ridge Passive House's strategic placement of glass brings the outdoors into the home. (Photo by Jeff Amram) — Pumpkin Ridge Passive House’s strategic placement of glass brings the outdoors into the home. (Photo by Jeff Amram)

The North Plains, Oregon home has earned three green building certifications: PHIUS+ Passive House, DOE Zero Energy Ready Home, and Earth Advantage Platinum Home; and is also the recipient of the 2014 Best Mainstream Green Home of the Year Award from GreenBuilder Media. A newly added 9.9 kW solar array will bring the home into “net zero energy” territory, meaning the home should produce as much or more energy than it consumes on an annual basis.

The 9.9 kW solar array will bring the home into “net zero energy” territory, meaning the home should produce as much or more energy than it consumes on an annual basis. (Photo by Jeff Amram)

Per Sam Hagerman, co-owner of Hammer & Hand,

It is a tremendous honor to receive this recognition from the U.S. Department of Energy. This award confirms what we have discovered in the field – that the same high performance building techniques that revolutionize building energy efficiency also deliver superior indoor air quality, comfort, and building durability.

The Pumpkin Ridge Passive House utilizes an open floor plan. (Photo by Jeff Amram)

The experience of Bryan Farris, owner of Pumpkin Ridge Passive House, bears this out,

When you put a little more thought and a little more attention into the engineering of the house, you have a house that’s really comfortable, that you really enjoy, that you can stay in for the rest of your life and that you don’t want to leave. I don’t know that I can say that for any other houses that I’ve lived in.