Author: Sonja O'Claire, Built Green Program Manager

The Lynwood Convention Center and our Events Team have implemented COVID precautions and protocols to keep all participants involved, and their families, safe and healthy. In addition to our innovative sessions related to new construction, many of the speaker sessions have been dedicated to discussing existing homes and remodels. From Net Zero Energy historical preservations to ADU remodels to the future of green retrofit incentive policies, this year’s event attendees will have the opportunity to hear from experts in the field and learn from case studies of home remodeling projects.

Sessions We Are Excited About

Join us for Preserving a Historic Building for Another Century of Use to hear from Grace Kim with Schemata Workshop as she presents the Parsonage Apartments in the University District, south of Sound Transit’s Brooklyn Station. The project reflects their vision of development: ecologically sustainable, economically practical, and sensitive to the scale and historic character of the local neighborhood.

Learn how landowners and community groups gave rise to what is being called The First Truly Anti-Racist Private Sector Development. This presentation at this year's Built Green Conference will cover the specific model for equitable development that is being designed in real time, about how it affects the local community, and how it makes good business sense.

With the recent updates to Washington, Oregon, and Idaho energy codes, many builders, designers, traders, and suppliers are wondering how they can participate in the process of developing The Future of Energy Codes in the Northwest. Join us to hear from experts with NEEA, 2050 Institute and BetterBuilt NW on the concepts driving Washington State Energy Code.

Join us for Dismantling the Barriers to Decarbonizing Existing Residential Buildings, a discussion from speakers of local government, finance and the HVAC industry focused on existing residential buildings. To meet climate goals, governments need bold policies and programs to address emissions from these existing buildings.

Stay Connected

Throughout the day you’ll be able to converse with other attendees, sponsors, and speakers about the sessions and gain professional connections. Explore our virtual Green Product Expo Hall where our sponsors will showcase the latest green products and attend an Ask-Me-Anything session with our keynote speaker.

Don't miss out on any of the action! Follow Built Green on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for conference updates. Use the hashtag #BuiltGreen2021 to share your excitement about this year’s conference.

For complete conference details and to register, visit builtgreenconference.net.

Thank You to Our Sponsors

In the shadow of a mature tree canopy, Model Remodel’s contemporary home combines Northwest living with Mediterranean pattern and colors. This Built Green 4-Star certified home recently was awarded a 2023 REX Award for Green Remodel. The 1950s home was fully remodeled, including a 2nd story addition for a primary suite. Integration of indoor spaces with the natural environment was a key element to its redesign. The open floor plan with generous windows and glass doors creates a front-to-back view through the entire home, and easy access to its extensive outdoor activity spaces. Abundant with natural light and worldly décor, this playful remodel of a classic midcentury modern property made air sealing, eco-conscious materials, and green certification a priority.

Achieving an improvement of 29.3% over Washington’s 2015 energy code, an airtightness blower door score of 2.94 ACH, and a 4-Star Built Green rating, the home is comfortable all year round. The ductless multi split system in the bedrooms provides efficient heating and cooling using ceiling mounted cassettes, making it so you hardly know the system is there. A combination of rigid foam board and caulked foam were used to achieve such an airtight tight seal of the older home. Spot ERVs provide fresh air, while recovering temperature and moisture. A centrally located ducted system provides optimal comfort in the vaulted-ceiling open floorplan of the home. In-floor heat radiant heat in the bathroom floor tile offer additional comfort.

Above-code fiberglass windows and doors provide tons of natural light, eliminating the need for electrical lighting during daytime hours. LED lighting is used at night. A beautiful nano door and pocket window in the kitchen can be easily opened for an indoor-outdoor living environment. Low-VOC finishes on the flooring and shelving, plus no-VOC interior paint, keep air quality excellent.

Increasing the functionality of the home’s existing living space two rooms were redesigned into flexible multifunctional spaces. One area has a built-in murphy bed that can be pulled down for overnight guests, and another room features a sliding partition wall that can separate one room into two functional spaces.

One of the most obvious décor choices in the home is the Mediterranean-style patterned tile, which was salvaged from previous jobs and used here for multiple backsplashes and bathrooms. Cork flooring was used in multifunctional rooms to enhance comfort and warmth. It’s the patterned tile and flooring that bring color and vibrancy to a neutral paint palette. Lighting, cabinet hardware and décor are all sourced from the homeowners’ worldly travels, giving the home unique personality. Large 55 foot glulam beams effortlessly transition between indoor and outdoor evoking the tall trees on the property. Additionally, reusing the existing concrete foundation and basement, and fireplace, preserved and reduced embodied carbon emissions that would have been emitted had the home been torn down, rather than remodeled. A recycled content metal roof protects this home for the next century of its lifecycle.

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