Custom Residential, Multifamily, Commercial, Civic & Community

Sustainable Practice at Board & Vellum

We believe everyone deserves equal access to an abundance of nature, clean air and water, beautiful design, and a vibrant future.

Sustainability is much more than certifications and solar panels. It is about improving the world we live in both environmentally and socially. It’s about reconnecting us with nature and providing opportunities for delight and discovery. Our integrated approach ensures we are thinking about sustainability from all angles to design the best, healthiest, spaces possible.

Net Positive Custom Home – Board & Vellum
Inspired by Site

Nestled into the hillside, the home appears to grow out of the land — an homage to the environmental and sustainabily goals of the homeowners. Net Positive Custom Home | Photo from project archive.

Inspired by Site

Nestled into the hillside, the home appears to grow out of the land — an homage to the environmental and sustainabily goals of the homeowners. Net Positive Custom Home | Photo from project archive.

The time to embrace sustainable practices is now.

The impact buildings have on the environment — and on us — is profound. The energy required to operate and construct buildings accounts for 40% of the world’s carbon emissions. That’s a huge share of the total, and it doesn’t even include carbon emissions from the manufacture of building materials.

The design of buildings is also an indoor air quality issue, directly impacting our health. According to the EPA, Americans spend approximately 90% of their time indoors, where air pollution is often two to five times greater than the air outside. Whether inside or out, breathing clean air is fundamental to quality of life.

These statistics mean we have both great responsibility and great opportunity for change. While we all have been touched by the effects of climate change and the health of interior environments in one way or another, it disproportionately affects the world’s most marginalized communities. We are not only designing for ourselves, but for the greater good. Even the efforts we engage in locally can help globally.

This motivates us to constantly strive to do better. It means we push every design further in a way best suited for the project. It means we get involved with our community to advocate for those who need extra voices to back them up. Large efforts, partnered with aggregate small ones, have outsized impact.

It also means we vow to never stop learning. Sustainable practices are constantly evolving to meet changing needs and to leverage new proven technologies. None of us can know what the future holds, but the time for action is now.

Of course, no one can tackle these problems alone, so we are excited to work with you towards designing the healthier and more vibrant future we believe is possible.

Crescent Creek House – Board & Vellum
Solar Energy

With 26 grid-tied solar panels on the upper roof, the home consistently delivers excess energy back to the grid. Crescent Creek House | Photo by Brian Hartman.

Solar Energy

With 26 grid-tied solar panels on the upper roof, the home consistently delivers excess energy back to the grid. Crescent Creek House | Photo by Brian Hartman.

Rocky Knoll Passive Solar – Board & Vellum
A Sight to Behold

Finished with sturdy, long-lasting materials, including stone and metal accents, this home is an anchor in the landscape, built to last. Rocky Knoll Passive Solar | Photo by project team.

A Sight to Behold

Finished with sturdy, long-lasting materials, including stone and metal accents, this home is an anchor in the landscape, built to last. Rocky Knoll Passive Solar | Photo by project team.

Net Carbon DADU – Board & Vellum
Accessory Dwelling

A raised deck connects this new DADU to the main house on one level, and to the courtyard-inspired DADU patio below. Net Carbon DADU | Photo by Brian Hartman.

Accessory Dwelling

A raised deck connects this new DADU to the main house on one level, and to the courtyard-inspired DADU patio below. Net Carbon DADU | Photo by Brian Hartman.

Roy Farms Field Office – Board & Vellum
Sun and Shade

Gnarled old trees create shade in summertime, and new solar panels double as a covered pavilion employees can use year-round, rain or shine. Roy Farms Field Office | Photo by Michael Zarieki.

Sun and Shade

Gnarled old trees create shade in summertime, and new solar panels double as a covered pavilion employees can use year-round, rain or shine. Roy Farms Field Office | Photo by Michael Zarieki.

Our First Bale House – Straw Bale Construction – Board & Vellum
Local, Natural Materials

Straw bales from a wheat field just up the road from this home’s site stack between timber framing, awaiting natural plaster layers that will finish the walls. Our First Bale House | Photo by Terry Phelan.

Local, Natural Materials

Straw bales from a wheat field just up the road from this home’s site stack between timber framing, awaiting natural plaster layers that will finish the walls. Our First Bale House | Photo by Terry Phelan.

Selah Vista Homes – Board & Vellum
Healthy and Accessible

Homes designed with a keen eye toward indoor air quality and accessibility create a healthy haven for families and retirees alike. Selah Vista Homes | Photo by Cindy Simmons.

Healthy and Accessible

Homes designed with a keen eye toward indoor air quality and accessibility create a healthy haven for families and retirees alike. Selah Vista Homes | Photo by Cindy Simmons.

Sustainability is integrated into everything we do.

We’re here to make resilient solutions more approachable.

We know sustainability can be overwhelming. There is so much to know! Our goal is to break down options and concepts for sustainable practices into easy-to-digest bites, so you can make informed decisions about your design. We will discuss sustainability goals from the beginning of your project — you get to be part of the process from day one. We’ll remove the noise so options for building green are more approachable.

Having an in-house team of architects, interior designers, and landscape architects means we can view a challenge from different angles at any point throughout your project. This collaboration leads to creative solutions to ensure your project is the best it can be. We look at energy use, carbon emissions, water use, healthy materials, site issues, and community impacts to find strategies that are better for people, the environment, and your wallet.

Some clients have very specific sustainable strategies they want to employ on their projects. We can help you run with those, as well as identify efficiencies you might not have thought of. If you have no idea where to start, that’s fine too! We are happy to distill the strategies down and work together so we can identify which ones align with your personal values and project needs.

Street view of a new home in Fremont that is actually built on existing foundations. – Architecture by Board & Vellum
Water Conservation

A cistern in the front yard collects rainwater for use in a graywater irrigation system. Fremont High-Performing Home | Photo by Andrew Giammarco.

Water Conservation

A cistern in the front yard collects rainwater for use in a graywater irrigation system. Fremont High-Performing Home | Photo by Andrew Giammarco.

Ballard Locks Residence: Green Home Remodel – 4 Star Green Home
4-Star Certified Built Green Home

This whole house remodel in Ballard reinvented this 1930s home as a model of sustainable practices. Ballard Locks Residence | Photo by John G Wilbanks.

4-Star Certified Built Green Home

This whole house remodel in Ballard reinvented this 1930s home as a model of sustainable practices. Ballard Locks Residence | Photo by John G Wilbanks.

The balancing act of creativity and technology.

We believe you cannot have a sustainable project without great design, and that great design incorporates sustainable choices. Since a large portion of a building’s carbon footprint is from its construction, the most sustainable building is one that is loved and will be around for people to enjoy for many, many years to come. The ability to optimize a site’s design, environmental impact, and energy efficiency requires fluidity between the more creative processes and the strictly-defined metrics.

We test out the efficacy of our designs with energy, daylighting, and carbon modeling to gauge how well our ideas are working, and then fine-tune them. This helps us identify which strategies are best for your project, rather than slapping on generic ones that aren’t specific to your needs. We also work closely with any consultants to ensure selected concepts are carried out throughout the entirety of the project.

Every project can be a sustainable project.

And no, you don’t have to get a certification to call it sustainable. Certifications can be great for marketing purposes and to prove that you made an effort to push the envelope (and if you’re interested in this, we would love to help). But if that’s not for you and you are just trying to do better, we can still use certification programs’ guidelines to implement the best strategies in your project.

For example, Passive House strategies can lead to an amazingly comfortable home, even if the house is not Passive House Certified. These strategies can make it easier to get to net zero energy and further reduce your energy bills and carbon emissions. And removing Red List materials (materials that are both unhealthy for you and contribute to climate change) from your project will give you better overall indoor air quality and reduce your environmental impact. There are many ways to make a project more sustainable that don’t require you to go for certification.

Shadow box café tables in coffeeshop. – Ada’s Technical Books & Café – Retail Design – Board & Vellum
Celebrating Reuse

An island bookshelf helps give the open space structure, separating the café from the aisle while a partition of salvaged doors celebrates giving new life to the old. Ada’s Technical Books & Café | Photo by Cindy Apple.

Celebrating Reuse

An island bookshelf helps give the open space structure, separating the café from the aisle while a partition of salvaged doors celebrates giving new life to the old. Ada’s Technical Books & Café | Photo by Cindy Apple.

Handcrafted In La Conner – Board & Vellum
Reclaimed Materials

Sliding barn doors composed of recycled and repurposed wood are a special touch repeated throughout this home as a warm aesthetic link. Handcrafted in La Conner | Photo from project archive.

Reclaimed Materials

Sliding barn doors composed of recycled and repurposed wood are a special touch repeated throughout this home as a warm aesthetic link. Handcrafted in La Conner | Photo from project archive.

Bainbridge Straw Bale – Board & Vellum
Gently Curving Forms

Taking advantage of the nature of straw bale construction, the windows “sink into” the organic form of the walls, creating gently curving openings diffusing light into the space. Bainbridge Straw Bale | Photo by Michael Zarieki.

Gently Curving Forms

Taking advantage of the nature of straw bale construction, the windows “sink into” the organic form of the walls, creating gently curving openings diffusing light into the space. Bainbridge Straw Bale | Photo by Michael Zarieki.

Rainier View Homes – Board & Vellum
The Village Green

This charming, colorful cottage community shares a village green that unifies the community and creates a natural space for outdoor recreation. Rainier View Homes | Photo by Sage Saskill.

The Village Green

This charming, colorful cottage community shares a village green that unifies the community and creates a natural space for outdoor recreation. Rainier View Homes | Photo by Sage Saskill.

Kids play on log play structures at Westside Park in Redmond, Washington. Park refresh by Board & Vellum landscape architecture team.
Biophilic Play

A climbing play structure made of wood instead of plastic allows children the delight of connecting with nature while minimizing its carbon footprint. Westside Park Rejuvenation | Photo by Juliana Hom.

Biophilic Play

A climbing play structure made of wood instead of plastic allows children the delight of connecting with nature while minimizing its carbon footprint. Westside Park Rejuvenation | Photo by Juliana Hom.

Riverfront Place Townhomes in Wenatchee – Board & Vellum
Modern Farmhouse as Townhome

A nod to their surrounding agricultural context, these townhomes’ repeating gable roofs represent a modern form of the traditional American farmhouse. Riverfront Place Townhomes | Rendering by Board & Vellum team.

Modern Farmhouse as Townhome

A nod to their surrounding agricultural context, these townhomes’ repeating gable roofs represent a modern form of the traditional American farmhouse. Riverfront Place Townhomes | Rendering by Board & Vellum team.

What type of project would you like to pursue?

Sustainability has many meanings and applications.

What does sustainable design mean to you? Lower energy bills? Better indoor air quality? Happier and more productive employees? A beautiful and resilient, drought-tolerant landscape? No matter the reason for pursuing a more sustainable project, we can help.

We employ sustainable design strategies across our portfolio — from single-family homes to multifamily developments, from vibrant commercial environments to civic spaces like public parks — in architecture, interior design, and landscape architecture.

Whether you are aiming for the highest level of green building certification with the Living Building Challenge, or simply wanting to lighten your environmental footprint, we can help you figure out which strategies are most appropriate for your unique project and help you meet your goals. Let’s work on being the change together.

Custom Residential

We offer custom residential architecture, interior design, and landscape architecture services for new construction and remodels, in a variety of styles, for projects large and small.

Multifamily Residential

We focus on distinctive projects we can weave into the greater neighborhood around them, designed to please not only the developer, but the residents and community.

Commercial

We approach commercial design from an integrated services standpoint, composing multidisciplinary teams balanced for the particular needs of your project to create a beautiful and functional space.

Civic

We create meaningful, sustainable, public spaces supporting neighborhoods, by focusing on building community through engagement and human connection.

Interested in a green building certification?

Let us help you navigate the certification process.

Certification can be beneficial in many ways. Some jurisdictions give you incentives if you go for a green building certification such as more buildable height, greater FAR, or expedited permitting. It is a great marketing tool if you want to prove to your current or future tenants that you care about their health and the environment. It can also be a way to lead by example and educate your community about the importance of green construction.

Our team of architects, interior designers, and landscape architects has various green building accreditations to help you push your design to the next level and achieve certification if you so choose. We currently have team members with experience in Passive House, Living Building Challenge, LEED, BuiltGreen, and Net Zero projects. We will work closely with you and the entire project team to help you navigate the certification process and meet your goals.

Would you like to learn a little more about us?

Feel free to explore the pages below, and — of course — please reach out to us if you have something particular you’d like to ask.

Portfolio

Our portfolio of work spans across a spectrum of project types and scales. We don’t have a particular “style” either: we love traditional, modern, contemporary, you name it. Our goal is to work with you to design a project you love.

Recognition

We are humbled and honored to be recognized for not only our design work and professional service, but for being a great place to work. This inspires us to keep pushing forward to bring the next great project in our community to life.

Considering a project, or curious about something?

Say hello, and send us your questions via the form below. We’re always pleased to make new connections, and eager to get to know you, your project, and your goals.

Get in touch.