If you're planning to embark on the Build It Green homes tour on Saturday, hopefully your gas tank is full (or legs ready to pedal) and you're free of other commitments. Sponsored by the City of Portland's Office of Sustainable Development and several other eco organizations, the self-guided tour includes 20 different homes in the city (although one, go figure is way out in Estacada).
In Southeast Portland alone, there are five stops, including a remodeled 1961 ranch house owned by landscape architect Pat Lando, three new houses, and even an RV of all things that was outfitted with biodesel fuel, a composting toilet and solar-powered stove. In Northeast Portland there are six stops, including everything from shipping container architecture to multifamily low-income housing to a garden-ensconced accessory dwelling unit. The North Portland wing of the tour includes mixed-use retail space and the Peninsula Park co-housing development. The Southwest Portland side of the tour includes two properties I've blogged about previously, one designed by Jeff and Tracy Prose of Building Arts Workshop and the other spearheaded by Charlie Weiss.
Not that this is important, but the tour is technically called the "Build It Green! Tour of Homes", but I couldn't bring myself to put an exclamation point in the middle like that. And while this is a terrific event, I personally wish it didn't conflict with college football.
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In the sprit of self promotion - our house is also on the tour in NE Portland. You can follow the construction process at our blog:
www.sipshousepdx.com
The house is for sale and is targeted at LEED Platinum - sale price is not yet determined, but we are entertaining offers.
Posted by: Darin | September 19, 2008 at 02:17 PM
No need to fill up gas tanks ~ $5 dicount for those who bike the tour.
Posted by: Ethan | September 19, 2008 at 04:27 PM
Where is irony by beginning the announcement of the Build it Green Tour, by suggesting the reader requires a full tank of gas!? Including Mr. Libby, if you have been wary of embracing bicycle transportation, this may be a good day to start.
Posted by: Horsewhistle | September 20, 2008 at 10:12 AM
Horsewhistle, that was a meaningless joke about the tank of gas. If people want to bike there, that's great! I'm not wary of embracing bicycle transportation. I ride my bike places all the time! But if I were going to 20 different locations in Portland and Estacada, I'd drive, okay?
Posted by: Brian Libby | September 20, 2008 at 11:32 AM
go ahead and drive...that oil isn't going to stay in the ground anyway
Posted by: Aneeda | September 21, 2008 at 04:20 PM
so Brian - anything worth mentioning from your tour?
Posted by: crow | September 22, 2008 at 12:34 PM