Wednesday, September 27, 2017 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon 7
Sisters home on green tour
On Saturday, September
30 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.,
innovative homes in Sisters,
Terrebonne, Bend, and
Sunriver will open their doors
and welcome the Central
Oregon community to come
and explore how they are
saving energy and creating
healthier living environments
for their occupants.
This will be the 17th year
that the Green Tour will offer
the community a chance to
meet homeowners, builders,
designers, and solar contrac-
tors and see first-hand how
they are pushing the envelope
on green building. The tour
features eight homes packed
with energy-saving features,
plus a tour of the Neff Road
solar farm in Bend. Highlights
include a straw-bale home in
Terrebonne, 1926 energy ret-
rofit and zero energy ADU in
Bend, a high-end, high-per-
formance home in Tetherow,
and the Delphinium cottage
in the ClearPine cottage
development.
ClearPine is a new com-
munity in Sisters, constructed
on the former Lundgren Mill
site. The Cottages are at the
heart of the larger planned
community of ClearPine.
The location was previously
a lumber mill for 50 years,
the largest employer in the
region, but was shuttered in
the early 1960s. Later, the
remnant buildings burned
to the ground, but the site
was remediated and certified
clean by the DEQ in the early
2000s. In 2015, the Sisters
City Council approved the
master plan for ClearPine,
and construction of the com-
munity began.
The small cottages, rang-
ing in size from 1,004 to
1,214 square feet were a
conscious decision to create
“right-sized” homes to meet a
need for greater affordability
and use less land and building
materials. All homes have a
master downstairs to address
the needs of those looking to
age in place. The two-story
homes have two masters
allowing for flexibility and
potential for multiple genera-
tions to live together. Small
spaces are as flexible as pos-
sible for multiple uses.
In this cottage develop-
ment, each home will be
Earth Advantage certified
which means that they will be
20 percent more efficient than
code. Energy Star appliances
are used and heat pumps pro-
vide efficient heating and
cooling. Since hot water can
account for up to 20 percent
of a home’s energy use, water
runs are central and short,
decreasing hot-water waste.
Water Sense faucets and
toilets are used, further
decreasing energy and water
demands. Low VOC interior
paints and sealants and hard-
surfaced floors in high-traf-
ficked areas help to improve
the indoor air quality of the
home, and a heat-recovery
PHOTO PROVIDED
ventilator provides fresh air.
A home in the ClearPine development at the former Lundgren Mill site is
In addition to the effi- on the Central Oregon Green Tour on Saturday.
cient and healthy building
practices, ClearPine is faith- the Delphinium cottage on that there are lots of people
ful to preserving as much of the tour this year because already making a difference
the character of the site as it demonstrates sustainable in our community — that
possible. Their plan calls for building practices in so many there are positive solutions
removing mature trees only ways” said Lindsey Hardy, right at our fingertips — and
when necessary. Where pos- with The Energy Challenge. encourage them to find out
sible, the best trees are spared “From the walkable location about more ways they can
by placing a property line and developing on a brown- save energy.”
View a full listing of sites,
at the base of the tree, or in field site to the commitment
a future building setback. In to allowing occupants to age features and addresses at
cooperation with the Upper in place in a home with great theenergychallenge.org/tour.
Deschutes Watershed Council indoor air quality and consis-
and Deschutes Land Trust, tently low utility bills.
“This tour is designed to
the developer donates all
The Garden Angel
large trees removed during inspire and educate every-
construction for placement one in our community and
in local streams to help cre- empower them to take mean-
ate and restore river habitat ingful action at home and
for native fish species. Rather at work,” said Hardy. “This
A natural
than cutting the trees, the tree year we are really focusing
approach to
is pulled from the ground, on highlighting all the great
root ball and branches intact, things that are already hap-
lawn care
trucked and placed in-stream. pening in our community.
LCB#9352
“We are thrilled to have We want to show people
541-549-2882
