Just to give you an idea of the kind of houses and spaces Trevor Boland and his company, Olivewood Builders, creates just read through this awesome description of the house pictured at left: “This master planned 6,700 square foot, two story is being built on a hillside with expansive views of the bay and eastern mountains. On arrival guests cross a bridge to the entry deck and outdoor living room with a seating area and fireplace. The house frames Mount Diablo and diagonal views of San Francisco and Oakland invite one into the living room. Mount Hamilton can be seen from the dining room while the kitchen looks out to the entry bridge and terraced garden. The master bedroom suite views Mount Tamalpais through a grove of Monterey pines.” How plush does this place sound? Very, I’d say, very. But being in Northern California brings with it some other attributes. For instance, the ability and know-how to create eco-friendly, healthier homes and offices is all a part of life around the San Francisco Bay area. This “green” way of life is just that in California, a way of life. People are demanding their homes, offices, cars, and personal products to be a little more Earth conscious. And people like Boland are listening. Boland is one of many Certified Green Building Professionals (CGBP). To receive such an illustrious title one must successfully complete the taxing coursework and testing demanded by the Build It Green organization. This California-based group operates with a goal to “promote healthy, energy- and resource-efficient building practices in California” and go about achieving this by working “with mainstream stakeholders in the housing industry to accelerate the adoption of green building practices.” This all makes sense to me. And it must be making sense to people around Boland’s line of work for him and his company to back such a philosophy.
Just to give you an idea of the kind of houses and spaces Trevor Boland and his company, Olivewood Builders, creates just read through this awesome description of the house pictured at left: “This master planned 6,700 square foot, two story is being built on a hillside with expansive views of the bay and eastern mountains. On arrival guests cross a bridge to the entry deck and outdoor living room with a seating area and fireplace. The house frames Mount Diablo and diagonal views of San Francisco and Oakland invite one into the living room. Mount Hamilton can be seen from the dining room while the kitchen looks out to the entry bridge and terraced garden. The master bedroom suite views Mount Tamalpais through a grove of Monterey pines.” How plush does this place sound? Very, I’d say, very. But being in Northern California brings with it some other attributes. For instance, the ability and know-how to create eco-friendly, healthier homes and offices is all a part of life around the San Francisco Bay area. This “green” way of life is just that in California, a way of life. People are demanding their homes, offices, cars, and personal products to be a little more Earth conscious. And people like Boland are listening. Boland is one of many Certified Green Building Professionals (CGBP). To receive such an illustrious title one must successfully complete the taxing coursework and testing demanded by the Build It Green organization. This California-based group operates with a goal to “promote healthy, energy- and resource-efficient building practices in California” and go about achieving this by working “with mainstream stakeholders in the housing industry to accelerate the adoption of green building practices.” This all makes sense to me. And it must be making sense to people around Boland’s line of work for him and his company to back such a philosophy.