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Eagle Creek, Oregon
Eagle Creek Natural Building, LLC
503.314.3851
I formed Eagle Creek Natural Building to craft sustainable, beautiful, and nurturing homes for my clients in the Portland, OR metropolitan area. When I built my own Econest, I discovered that a home built with natural materials improves the well being of myself and my family. In 2002 I first learned about an Econest home in Natural Home magazine. My wife and I were planning on building a toxic free new home. She is a cancer survivor and we wanted our new home to aid her healing.
I'm a contractor with over 35 years of experience in building and remodeling. I wanted to build a timberframe home but I was hesitant because most timberframes insulate the house with foam filled panels. When I read the Natural Home article, I was excited because an Econest used clay-straw as insulation.
Attending an Econest workshop that spring, I knew that I wanted to build an Econest. Robert Laporte and I spoke at length about the differences in climate between the northwest and southwest. We have a long, wet and rainy season. The Southwest is dry and generally much warmer. Would clay-straw work? We decided that it could but that the wall profile would need to be thinner. We would also have to build as soon as the rains stopped, usually at the beginning of July. He also offered to lead a clay-straw workshop at our new home with one provision--he wanted Paula Baker-Laporte to be the architect and we agreed.
That was a great decision. Paula transformed our ideas into a concept for an Econest home that fulfilled our expectations. She also consulted with us about the best choice of materials for a healthy home. We were fortunate to have Robert both construct the timberframe and teach the clay-straw workshop.
Building my home was my initiation into working with natural materials. During the course of it's construction, I went to Germany and learned about earthen plasters and working with clay-wood chip infill. Much of what I learned, I applied to my own home and subsequent jobs.
My company, Eagle Creek Natural Building crafts homes for people. Crafting a home is different than building a home. Crafting includes constructing the building. But it is also about relationships, visions, the quality of work, the participants in the work, the space itself, and the care that goes into the creation of the home. It is a collaborative endeavor. Crafting also means creating sustainable homes. A home must sustain its inhabitants and be environmentally sustainable.
That's why I choose to be an Econest affiliate. Econests are durable, naturally built homes that endure for generations. That is the most sustainable home of all.
EcoNest recommends the Affiliates based solely on the training provided at an EcoNest professional building seminars and a completed EcoNest project in the Affiliates home region. The identification of a builder as an EcoNest Affiliate is not intended as a representation, assurance, warranty, or guarantee of the work of an Affiliate on any home the Affiliate may construct for you. Your contract for construction will be with the Affiliate and not EcoNest. It is the sole responsibility of the owner to determine the Affiliate's qualifications . EcoNest does not monitor any Affiliates' compliance with or adherence to EcoNest plans, either stock plans or custom plans, and does not inspect any work either during or after the construction. If your builder did not purchase either EcoNest stock or custom plans, your home may not be identified as an EcoNest home even though it may be built with clay/straw and timber-frame. We recommend that you to seek the advice of an attorney to review any construction contract that you enter into.