Nathan Good Architects

Some of the unique qualities to Vana and Mike’s home include:

-the first use of Durisol’s Insulated Concrete Forms (ICF), a fiber-cement block, in Portland for the south’s single story portion to the home
-an innovative strapped-wall system (proposed by the home’s builder, David Heslam, formerly with Coho Construction and now with Earth Advantage) to increase the depth of the wet-spray cellulose insulation and add to the thermal breaks of the wood-frame structure
-radiant-heated earthen floors, which were featured in the February 9^th, 2007 issue of the New York Times (http://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/08/garden/08dirt.html?ex=1328590800&en=aa3bd499058c4308&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss) with Sukita, the talented installer (www.sukita.com).
-a vegetative roof for stormwater management and heat-island reduction, that includes a roof garden for their herbs
-a swing in the kitchen (it’s a long, but good, story)
-the extensive use of salvaged materials: cabinets, doors, tile, plumbing fixtures, etc.
-a courtyard and roof terrace for private outdoor living
-an “away room” off the greatroom that doubles as a guestroom and solarium
-approval from the City of Portland to build a new home without off-street parking, a garage, or driveway (The successful pitch: it takes the equivalent of two on-street parking spaces to create a single lane of driveway for off-street parking.)
-the purchase of green power and carbon off-sets as an alternative approach to reaching a carbon-neutral home, rather than on-site renewable energy

To learn more about Mike and Vana and their home, check out one of the following publications:

The Portland DJC article, “Home Built”, August 2^nd, 2006: http://djcoregon.com/news/2006/08/02/home-built/

The Oregonian article, “Structural Integrity”, June 8^th, 2007:
http://blog.oregonlive.com/homesandgardens/2007/06/sustainability_expert_mike_obr.html