[bundle]

The beauty of a green roof!

While Green roofs have many benefits (storm water retention, acoustic reduction, protection of roofing membrane, habitat) beauty is by far the most tangible.

The first image is the view from a bedroom. It's hard to imagine this space with a typical 36" window sill or a view of an asphalt or metal roof.

Waking up to watch the bees and breeze across the roof is so pleasant.

This roof was installed in 2014 with
Sedum tiles .

Siding coming up next at the Lake Whatcom Passive House.

Going to miss seeing the wood fiber exterior insulation....but time to wrap it up.

will be putting up the hardie siding while Angar will finish lower sections of the house with metal siding.

The original plan was to use site milled cedar with a pine tar finish. But after last years fires in the area, an ever increasing fire season and the number of trees in the immediate area the owners switched to more fire resistant siding materials.

The [bundle] tiny office is the smallest PHIUS certified passive house in the world.

Small but mighty.

New passive house in Fairhaven on the boards!

This project will be a multi-generational house with an emphasis on connection to the outdoors for gardening and entertaining.

Per all [bundle]'s work, this project will be Net Zero Energy and will focus on low carbon materials.

Happy Earth Day!

The Birch Case Study House was [bundle]s first project and remains our most progressive project to date.....even after 10 years!

The Birch Case Study House was designed to meet Living Building Challenge. While we were unable to achieve this epic standard the house still maintains impressive development strategies that are relevant today.

-passive House building envelope
_ air tight construction
_continuous insulation
_high performance windows

-net zero energy ( certified)
_solar PV

-net zero water (case study paper by
_ rainwater for all uses
_composting toilets
_grey water on site treatment
_green roof for storm water mitigation

-material salvage
_30-40% of all wood salvaged from demo of elementary school 1 block from building site

-heat recovery
_hrv
_drainwater

As we continue to develop our urban environment (suburban and rural too) we must continue to push for strategies that have less of an impact on the global environment.

At [bundle] we are committed to developing the most sustainable, healthy and low carbon projects possible.

While new construction is fun.......reviving a historic house and bringing it up to modern standards of health, comfort, durability and efficiency is SO much more satisfying.

This house in the Columbia Neighborhood was originally built in 1900. Throughout its life modest changes and minor additions were added to the building.....but by and large the house remained close to the original design.

The original house was 1.5 stories with the bedrooms and one bathroom in the attic. All rooms were within the roof structure with low ceilings, awkward angles and limited storage.

So when designing the renovation, we added very little square footage to the floor plan. What was added was volume. We lifted the roof on the back 2/3 of the house to create taller rooms that more effectively used the floor area. At the same time we kept the front 1/3 of the house, stepping down the mass of the building so the new volume of the building does not look out of place next to the neighboring buildings.

And while we created a much more usable space, what's equally important is the renovated house will now have healthier indoor air, be more comfortable year round and be significantly more energy efficient. Even adding a large volume, we likely reduced the building's energy use by 70% 90%. And if the owners want to add solar in the future, this building will easily reach Net Zero.

One of our favorite strategies to reach such efficiency is to bring all areas and HVAC within the conditioned building envelope. Check out that amazing attic!

Contractor: blue heron woodworks

Urban field trip to NYC.

Get the chance to check out some capital A architecture and historical monuments.

Little Island
One world trade center
Statue of Liberty
Ellis Island

Our Lake Whatcom Passive House is coming along nicely!

has most of the waterproofing, air barrier, plumbing, electrical and mechanical completed.

should arrive on site in about three weeks at which point the building can be dried in and tested for air tightness.

Really great feeling to this forest house and I can already picture sitting on the back patio or screen porch! 👍

Sometimes we can find a few permit drawings to start a new project.

Our most recent project we are lucky enough to have the full construction drawing set drawn by the late Phillip Moore, an architect practicing out of Seattle.

His drawing set for the Peterson Residence meticulously documents the building with site plans, floor plans, sections, elevations and details. Designed in 1962, this building has seen very few changes and was built nearly identical to the design documents.

Good documentation, such as Moore provided, gives a record that we can use to accurately propose changes and improvements to the building. It also reveals elements that are outdated, and would have otherwise been a surprise ......see the heating oil tank just outside the front door!

We greatly appreciate the opportunity to start a project with such a view into the past.

Now it is our opportunity to build up on Moore's work with a design that both respects and compliments the original design.

Phase 2 of our Fairhaven remodel + ADU is just coming out of the ground!

Phase 1 included a complete whole house remodel of the 100 year old residence into a modest 3bedroom -2.5 bath house with all our typical high performance features. (Exterior insulation, air tight construction using Aero barrier, self adhered WRB, ERV, mini split heat pumps and an induction range. With the solar, this project will be Net Zero after the year of solar banking.

Phase 2, which is just starting construction will be a DADU above a studio for the owner. Project specs include all the same high performance features. Off the 2nd floor ADU living space will be a large deck that looks over the property and rest of Happy Valley. Under the deck will be a covered work yard for the owners art.

Just a few phone pictures Building off 's post about Paper Stone countertops this morning. (Sorry for the bad quality......)

These amazingly durable countertops are locally made in Washington state. The panels are made with FSC certified paper bonded together with heat, pressure and resin resulting in a completely waterproof countertop.

One of the main benefits is material can be cut and shaped using normal carbide tipped carpentry tools. This makes these panels very instal friendly for contractors or DIY weekend warriors.

While the normal thickness is 3/4"-1"......we used 3/8" panels at our Birch Case Study House. This saved money, resources and was much easier to handle (material is VERY heavy). And the thinner profile gave the look of classic slate countertops.

From a use perspective, while they provide the same solid work surface as stone or quartz, they are much warmer to the touch and softer(fewer broken dishes). Yet the surface is equally resilient being stain and scratch resistant.

While paperstone recommends sealing the surface, we have not, leaving the material to naturally patina. Any surface defects that arise, we wipe down with a small amount of olive oil or mineral oil+bees wax and the counters look brand new.

We know you love Indian food!

Check out the new spot👇

[bundle] is very excited to see open a new Indian grocery store just off meridian on Telegraph Ave.

[bundle] was hired to help India Mart with the space planning, permitting, and health department approval required in order to open the new grocery store.

To read the full story head over to and the full article by Finn Wendt.

Wishing great success to owners TJ and Jasmine.

Images: Finn Wendt- Cascadia Daily News
Full article: https://www.cascadiadaily.com/2024/feb/06/india-mart-fulfills-american-dream-for-owner-tj-singh/

We greatly appreciate the efforts the has made to make infill development easier to permit.

For example ADUs now only require a building permit with a simple review by the planning department for compliance with the ADU ordinance.

However, infill development is difficult and not every project will have a streamlined process. When projects fall slightly outside the normal process, public notice will still be required.

We do not see this as a bad thing.

Public notice gives us the opportunity to answer questions and explain to neighbors how we are trying to increase density gently with consideration of the existing surrounding properties.

So when you see a yellow sign for one of our projects, feel free to send a written comment or reach out with questions.

We need additional housing....but all new development needs to be thoughtful and considerate.

Cabin in the Woodhood ADU is coming along nicely.

The ADU is an addition over an existing flat roofed garage.

To tie the addition into the existing building and improve the entry sequence for the main house, a new mudroom is being constructed with eaves and wood siding that match the ADU.

And the same as all our projects, the existing gas heating and hot water have been removed and replaced with all new heat pumps systems for heating, cooling and domestic hotwater for both dwelling units.

Big machines on site doing some rock breaking for our next little Passive House.

Dirt work can be unpredictable......and on this project the excavator discovered a massive sandstone boulder right where the house was to be constructed.

While this is unfortunate and costs a bit more, a little rock breaking and the project will be back on track quickly.

Neighbors will be happy.

Contractor:

Amazing night shot of our Big Studio project.

The clear roofing gives amazing interior light during the day and then glows softly in the forest at night.

Our Columbia Neighborhood 2nd floor addition and deep energy retrofit got the over framed eaves and fascia installed today.

This detail is often called "monopoly" framing, where the building is framed without eaves. The air barrier can then lap cleanly from wall to roof, and then eaves are applied later.

Because the eaves extend into the 5' side yard setback, this roof will be unvented.....but for most of our projects we would install a vent cavity using 2x material on the flat.

EPS insulation is fit between the eave framing , and then a solid field of EPS will fill in the rest of the roof.

Simple solutions that make a big impact.

Black houses are all the rage.

Excited to see our South Bellingham whole house deep energy remodel, under construction, on website!

Check the link on our bio.

Keep an eye on our page for phase 2 as we add a matching DADU and art studio. Construction begins this month!

Also underway at the Snail Haven ADU....... cabinet install! LOVE the playful details that kerf designs into their millwork.

With a very small living space, properly designed storage is key. [bundle] provided the space planning for the entry and bedroom closet, working desk, bathroom vanity and kitchen. But then we pass along the space planning to experts in millwork to provide shop drawings, production and install of the actual casework.

Excellent coordination between owner and craftsman to get the aesthetics and function this living space deserves.

Our cute little Snail Haven ADU is a great space....but this massive carport deck with a mount baker view is what's going to steal the show.

The multi slide door is key to extending the living space to the outdoors. And with such a deep profile, comes with a built in plant shelf.

Amazing drone shot of our Lake Whatcom Passive House.

Contractor & drone image

We are proud to announce that our Cheleek Passive House project is officially Phius Design Certified! This important milestone ensures the project is designed to hit all the energy targets outlined by Phius’ climate-specific, cost-optimized standard. 

The next step for the project is to undergo third-party quality assurance inspection, and once the results of the inspections are approved by Phius, the project will earn Phius Certification.

Architecture: [bundle]
Contractor:
Rater: balderston & associates

Our whole house remodel in the Columbia neighborhood is progressing nicely.

House lift is complete and the building has been set back onto a new foundation.

And the new second floor and roof massing has been framed and closed in, just in time for winter rains.

Love this stage of the project when the scale of the building confirms our design intentions. In this case the existing smaller gable steps down from the new second floor breaking down the building mass to be more welcoming from the streetscape.

Can't wait to see the rest of the wall and roof assembly to take shape, giving more comfort and durability to this 100 year old house

Ground breaking for another Passive House in Northeast Bellingham!

This two bedroom 1000ft2 house will replace the condemned cabin that was torn down.....to the relief of the neighbors.

Owners were on site to take the first shovel full towards their all electric, net-zero energy home.

Also in attendance for the kick off was much of the development team.

Architect design: [bundle]
Contractor:
Lumber:

Very excited to see this project start moving dirt!

Wow.......only our second site visit since construction started and exterior framing is nearly complete!

and their amazing line up of subs is
crushing this new Passive House project near lake Whatcom.

We have been working hard to refine our working relationship, construction details and specification with and it shows.

Having clear communication and expectations along with a collection of details that everyone is invested in, makes the construction process much more efficient.

Exceptional work team!

Another whole house renovation and electric deep energy retrofit + addition.

Jake Fox Builders calling the post demo mid-construction site visit to contemplate old building structural solutions......floating floor joist splices.

As always this project will get the [bundle] standard:

Continuous air barrier
Exterior insulation
High performance windows and doors
HRV
Air source heatpump
Heatpump water heater.

Bringing another 100 year old house into modern times.

We finally got a full team site visit to our Cheleek Passive House.

has done an exceptional job.

Once complete this project will be certified by

It is refreshing to walk on site and see the design elements working as planned.

Look at the beautiful framing of the island from entry deck! What a way to arrive home everyday!

Just underway in the Columbia neighborhood, another house lift, whole house remodel and second floor addition.

Keep any eye out for future posts on the passive house details that will transition this historic house to a comfortable, energy efficient all electric, net zero energy home.

Physics lessons are found everywhere.

Thanks for the rad koozie!