So much has been said about building green and sustainable homes that many wonder, “Just what is a green or sustainable home?” SolAire Homebuilders has developed a very definite view of what constitutes a sustainable home. Building green custom homes throughout Central Oregon for over 12 years SolAire founder Mike O’Neil explains, “Building a green home means building a lasting, better quality home. Today’s sustainable home means increased durability and structural integrity. A green home means healthy indoor living, energy efficient heating and cooling systems, and wise use of the earth’s resources. A sustainable home optimizes the incredible power of sunlight with active and passive solar technologies.”

Award winning green builder SolAire Homebuilders has taken sustainable construction to the next level. Founded in 1995, SolAire decided to take a bold step by integrating passive solar design, energy efficient home envelopes, and healthy indoor living principles into the familiar form of the custom family home. Gone are days when the perception of green-built homes only included recycled tires, cans and straw bales. Today’s green built home is a better built home, containing amenities and luxuries of standard construction, but with the assurance that the home will outperform and outlast homes built to minimum building code. “We take pride in the fact that over 250 custom homes built by SolAire in Central Oregon over the past decade will cost less to heat and cool no matter what fuel prices do in the future,” adds O’Neil.

Indeed, homes built by SolAire can reduce energy consumption by at least 30% on an annual basis. Homes which add passive solar design, active solar hot water, or advanced insulation techniques may save 65% to 85% in energy costs. SolAire provides their customers with custom advice on energy saving upgrades, integrating these customer choices with their home design.

The statistics on energy consumption pale in comparison to the sense of comfort and home aesthetics their homeowners describe. A SolAire home creates welcoming family and entertaining spaces that bathe in daylight. Solariums integrated into the home design provide passive heat in the winter and cool shade in the summer. Rooms such as these create spaces that homeowners covet for entertaining, indoor gardening, exercise, private retreats, or a place to savor morning coffee. A passive solar home where sunlight streams through the primary living area in winter creates an inviting and cozy family area.

Green homes use the earth’s resources wisely but do not scrimp on the luxury or aesthetics that personalize your home. The SolAire interior design team seeks to understand personal tastes and then helps the homebuyer choose from many attractive sustainable products like early growth wood flooring, reclaimed timbers for fireplace mantels, or regional wood products like hemlock wood trim. Beautiful custom cabinetry that reduces or eliminates volatile formaldehydes is a standard at SolAire. Tile work and solid surface countertops help reduce air pollution in the home but are also a place where SolAire craftsmanship and customer personalization goes hand in hand.

A SolAire home is durable, weather resistant and a well insulated building product. Eaves are designed to shed rain and shield the home from harsh summer sun. Exterior product choices are made to last while also appealing to the home aesthetic. Stone masonry, regional pre-stained cedar siding, 40-year roofing, high efficiency windows and doors provide lasting beauty and a sense of pride of home ownership that SolAire takes seriously. “We are building for our customer’s future, so we build homes that sustain value and integrity in the face of future change,” concludes O’Neil. That is a green home.