Jeff Mason
A green roof tops this San Juan Island, Wash., home, designed by…
Green Philosophy: “We’ve always tried to build homes with low-impact techniques, houses that have a low impact on the site.”
Life on an island creates an acute awareness of the need for conservation. Resources we take for granted on the mainland—potable water, building materials, and even property to build on—are constantly in limited supply. No one understands this better than Peter Kilpatrick, owner of Ravenhill Construction. Located in the San Juan Islands off the coast of Washington state, Ravenhill ranks as one of the region’s premier custom builders. “They’re up there with the best in the Pacific Northwest,” says Joseph Herrin of Seattle-based Heliotrope Architects , who worked with Ravenhill on a custom home last year. “The caliber of their craftsmanship is on par with the great contractors here in Seattle.”
Kilpatrick tries to use low-impact building techniques whenever he can. He’s built many houses with green roofs, and regularly incorporates rainwater catchment into his projects. Recently he’s started to use green certification programs, with even more positive results. “The certifications—such as LEED, NAHBGreen, and Built Green—have really formalized the process,” he says. “It gives a level of legitimacy that wasn’t there in the past.” He also believes the programs can motivate builders, architects, and clients to make their projects greener: “It becomes almost a competitive thing.”
One of Ravenhill’s latest projects, known as the Natural Balance House, is on track to receive a LEED Platinum rating, according to Kilpatrick and architect Michael McNamara of Hornby Island, British Columbia–based Blue Sky Design. Kilpatrick also serves on the board of a local affordable housing nonprofit, the San Juan Community Home Trust. After years of preparation, the trust has started the first phase of what eventually will be a 45-acre, mixed-income development in the town of Friday Harbor, where Ravenhill’s office is located. The community will feature low-impact design strategies such as rain-water harvesting, graywater irrigation, and an independent sewer system.
Kilpatrick’s efforts on this project, as well as his endeavors to make his custom homes more sustainable, demonstrate his firm commitment to the environmental and economic sustainability of the San Juan Islands and their residents.
Ravenhill Construction, Friday Harbor, Wash.
www.ravenhillconstruction.com
Years in business: 32
Employees: 24
2009 volume: $2.9 million
2009 starts: 2
Years of focusing on sustainable building: 5
