Friday, March 23, 2012

Earth Advantage fits the profile for Stone Bridge Homes NW at 2012 Street of Dreams

By PHIL FAVORITE

Building a high-performance home takes more than a wink and a nod to energy efficiency and sustainability. It takes a company-wide belief in delivering the best possible product for your buyers.

That's why Stone Bridge Homes NW is the perfect builder for the 2012 NW Natural Street of Dreams, to be held July 25 through Aug. 26 at The Vineyard in West Linn; a home tour event showcasing million dollar custom homes.

"The Oregon Dream" House #3 Concept Drawing
All seven of the homes at this year's Street of Dreams will be built to Earth Advantage standards for energy efficiency and environmental responsibility — standards Stone Bridge Homes NW meets in every home it builds.

In fact, "The Oregon Dream" House #3 will be built to the same Earth Advantage Silver standards met by every newly built home by Stone Bridge Homes NW, a local Oregon company with a reputation for building sustainable, healthy homes.

Peter Brown, Earth Advantage
"The builders that do it in 100 percent of their homes are the true believers," said Peter Brown, director of residential services for Earth Advantage Institute. "They want to build the best home possible, and Stone Bridge Homes NW is one of the largest companies to make that 100-percent commitment to Earth Advantage."

Earth Advantage Institute is a locally based, non-profit organization that works with the building industry to help implement sustainable building practices and promote healthier living environments for new-home buyers. The program educates builders on responsible land-development practices and various ways to limit wasted materials, water and other resources.

According to Earth Advantage Institute, less than 20 percent of new homes built in Oregon are Earth Advantage certified.

Kelly Ritz, Stone Bridge Homes NW
"As a company, we always want our homes to be as good as they can be," said Kelly Ritz, president of Stone Bridge Homes NW. "By the nature of the beast, it's best to standardize the sustainable features so you can deliver a home that 's more cost-conscious."

For Stone Bridge Homes NW, that meant bringing its lead contractors up to speed on the Earth Advantage model through classes in sustainable home practices. There they learn how things such as jobsite recycling, selective landscaping, energy-efficient appliances and low VOC indoor paint can make a huge difference for both the environment and the health of the homebuyer.
Over the course of a few years, Stone Bridge Homes NW has become a statewide leader in Earth Advantage building.

"One thing that has set Stone Bridge Homes NW apart is how they have everybody on board from the top down," Brown said. "They are constantly innovating and have become a market leader.”

Such is the case at the 2012 Street of Dreams, where Stone Bridge Homes NW can demonstrate the benefits of Earth Advantage building on a large scale with its entry, “The Oregon Dream” House #3.

“Huge homes like those at Street of Dreams are sometimes not thought of as sustainable, but why shouldn’t these homes be efficient, too?” Brown said. “These homes can potentially use more recycled products than a smaller home.”

"This fits our philosophy. We want well-built homes," Ritz said. "These standards help us always be a little bit above code. Whether it's an 1,100-square-foot ranch or a Street of Dreams house, we want them all to include energy-saving features that will benefit our buyers."

Friday, March 16, 2012

Thursday, March 8, 2012

2012 Street of Dreams | “The Oregon Dream” House Built by Stone Bridge

Stone Bridge Homes NW entry at 2012 NW Natural Street of Dreams will reflect a keen understanding of its customers

By PHIL FAVORITE

What does the Oregon Dream look like?

The folks at Stone Bridge Homes NW have wrestled with that question for years, continually refining and evolving the homes they build to best reflect the values of their customers.

"The thing about Oregonians is we're not showy people," said Kelly Ritz, president of Stone Bridge Homes NW. "We're sensible, thoughtful, pragmatic."

Now the builders at Stone Bridge Homes NW are ready to display their best ideas on a grand scale when they make their first foray into the Portland area's top luxury home show, the 2012 NW Natural Street of Dreams.

The show — to be held July 28 through Aug. 26 at The Vineyard in West Linn — will feature seven new luxury homes designed and built to show the latest innovations and best ideas in homebuilding.

Stone Bridge Homes NW's entry, dubbed "The Oregon Dream," also identified as House #3 in the show will be light and livable, Ritz said. It will feature high ceilings, large windows and outdoor living spaces designed to connect residents with the home's natural surroundings.

"We have teamed up with Troy Fowler and Skyline Homes on a design I would call Northwest Contemporary," Ritz said. "We wanted to start fresh — clean lines, more open spaces and more light."

The exterior of the home will feature a mix of stone elements with cedar siding that will be stained instead of painted for a natural look. Stone, wood and tile on the interior will add to the organic feel of the home.

Ritz describes the look as a "less complicated architecture. But it's not going to be sterile. It will have a warm, light, livable feel," she said.

Being a showcase for the type of high quality construction Stone Bridge Homes NW is well known for, “The Oregon Dream” also will show off the builder's dedication to energy efficiency and customizability.

Every home by Stone Bridge Homes NW is built to Earth Advantage standards, a certification given to less than 20 percent of the new homes built in Oregon.

The company's new homes are also semi-customizable. Stone Bridge Homes NW works with buyers to make sure their new home fits their lifestyle needs as best as possible.

Ritz said her team's ability to listen to what its customers want helped keep Stone Bridge Homes NW buzzing during recently tough economic times.

"You can't do the same old same old," she said. "You have to evolve."

This year's NW Natural Street of Dreams presents an opportunity for Stone Bridge Homes NW to let show goers see just how far the company has come since its founding in 2006.

"The Street of Dreams is more than just seven homes for seven people to buy," Ritz said. "It's a place to get building ideas, a place to get energy-efficiency ideas, a place to get decorating ideas.

"We want them to know about “The Oregon Dream” House #3 and get them thinking about Stone Bridge Homes, our neighborhoods and the quality of the houses we build."