FOR SALE! (see flyer)
Bringing in Space, Light and Warmth

This is our home in an older building in NW Portland. Our major improvement to the space was to open up the kitchen to the adjacent room, thus removing a dark hallway and creating a large and bright multifunctional space. We mimicked the existing architectural details in the cabinetry and woodwork creating a space that is modern in proportions but fits seemlessly with the rest of the 1907 building.

We also improved the energy efficiency of the entire unit with ceiling insulation, new windows, and better appliances and lighting. We have cut the unit's energy use by half and buy 100% renewable energy from PGE. We were able to reuse many of the existing materials and to buy used, salvaged and green materials for the rest. Non-toxic paints and finishes were used through out.

To see the rest of our home and the design choices we made, take the easy to navigate HOME TOUR. Our home was featured in the Portland Tribune @Home section, and in the book Natural Remodeling has an essay we wrote about our place along with more photos. Most recently it was the subject of Carol Venolia's article "Quality is Green" in the March/April 2008 issue of Natural Home magazine.

Location, Location, Location

Part of what makes our home green is its location within easy walking distance to shops, services, parks and transit. This greatly reduces our need to drive, thus reducing a significant part of our overall Ecological Footprint.

Living in a multifamily building also contributes to a smaller Footprint, figuratively and literally. The structure of the building is an inherently more efficient means of creating housing with shared walls and, in our case, shared water heaters, laundry facilities and common spaces like porches and gardens. We found that we share heat as well and benefit from the home heating of our neighbors below and next door.

The owners in the building have created systems for sharing other resources as well such as tools, magazines and other household items. For example, during our remodel we were able to get most of the additional wood we needed from a common materials stockpile where residents place their leftovers from building projects.

Co-housing projects that emphasize sustainable living are a more developed version of what we are describing here. While co-housing is a growing phenomenon, the number and location of them is still relatively limited and they often require a significant investment of time to develop. What was a pleasant surprise to us was how easy it was to realize some of these benefits by simply choosing to live in a multifamily building.