Jun 14, 2007

Pringle Creek Community: Building Green


Pringle Creek Community is a 32-acre sustainable development located in the heart of Oregon’s Willamette Valley. It is also the nation’s first recipient of the National Home Builder Association’s (NAHB) prestigious "Land Development of the Year" award.

Pringle Creek’s eco-conscious site design began with the community’s innovative land development standards, which incorporated the use of 9,000-feet of green streets, the nation's first full-scale residential use of porous asphalt and environmentally-inspired forms of drainage, and the re-use and re-cycle of pre-existing trees to construct community gathering places.

These sustainable practices will eventually thread throughout design plans for Pringle Creek’s mix of homes, each exceeding Earth Advantage™ and Energy Star™ standards. Pringle Creek will also include a "neighborhood within the neighborhood" featuring 28 single-family and cottage-style carbon neutral/net-zero energy homes.

Bilyeu Homes, Inc. are the proud builders of Pringle Creek's first model home. It is Salem's first LEED-H home (United States Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design), the State of Oregon's first LEED-H "Platinum (highest possible ceritification) home and one of five in the entire nation.

I can't help but be very proud of my husband and son, for even their small part in the building of the unique cottage home that is now being displayed as the model home. Based on current ratings, this model home has the highest rating for environmental/energy efficiency of any home in the entire United States! As such, it and its community, set the standard for green building for new home construction for the nation.

My husband and son have worked incredibly long and hard hours, long into the night on some occasions, to have this home ready for Salem's Tour of Homes, which opens this Saturday, June 16 and runs for two weeks. In the past our tour homes have welcomed as many as 1,000 visitors in that two week period.

As an even smaller part of our home building business,I am involved with varying aspects of each building project, usually involving color and surface selections and interior decorating duties. Because this home, was designed by the developers, architects, and interior designers, I have not been involved with my usual roles of interior design and selection.

But I still had to get my usual two cents in by creating my own little project...a pillow, for its built-in bench seating area in the kitchen. I have also been busy with my secretarial duties of creating displays, handouts and business cards for our business and will have multiple opportunities to hone my other varied talents of 'set out, sweep up ,and clean-up after' duties for the next two weeks.

In honor of this award winning community, its model home, and the determined efforts of the two builders of that model home...my husband and son, I offer this post in their honor. Wish us luck in our grand opening and please check out the development's links if you are at all interested in the environment, environmental building or other ecological or sustainable building practices.

4 comments:

Mrs. Goodneedle said...

What a distinct and enviable honor. I know how proud you are, how proud you ALL must be! Kudos. It's all good, and the pillow is just perfect and precious (as are YOU!). Congratulations, I hope this is a growing trend.

SuBee said...

A-HA!! I knew you had a secret life!!
Congratulations to all of you - what a shining example you're setting. I hope DH and DS are proud of themselves - it's great!!

Patti said...

Oh, how very marvelous! What a wonderful community. This is what our nation - and the world needs. I don't blame you at all for being proud that all of you were involved in this. It also doesn't surprise me that something like this is happening in the Pacific northwest, where I think we have more environmentally conscious people than anywere else in the nation. I'll have to send my daughter to your site. Her degree is in environmental science - even thought she's working as a computer engineer - and she will be fascinated. Sure wish we could find the time to come down for the home tour, but the next two weekends are already packed.

Shelina said...

You have every right to be proud of them for this wonderful achievement. And what a great service! I've always been amazed that more energy efficient homes and products aren't available in the market. We've been hearing about the environment since I was in school in the 70s. I think many more people would use these types of things if they were readily available. Good for you and for them for leading the way!