STATESMAN JOURNAL

'Green' Home Rates as Platinum
Rare environmental designation goes to Pringle Creek
model site

SALEM, Ore. - Just as developers and architects had expected, Pringle Creek Community's first model home has met the greenest standards possible.

The U.S. Green Building Council gave the cottage at the Salem development a platinum rating – the highest possible within the LEED certification, which stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design.

There are only five other homes nationwide – and none in the Northwest -- that meet such standards.

"We were just trying to do the best we could," said builder Larry Bilyeu of Bilyeu Homes Inc. "We have always thought building is a long-term process. We want to build houses that are going to be around for a long time. When we look around, there is way too much growth and replication of houses -- houses that 30 or 50 years from now will be torn down because they are not durable."

The design and construction of the home was, in fact, better than required.

LEED certification follows a point system that rates homes on aspects such as energy efficiency, resource use and indoor air quality. A total of 129 points is possible, and platinum requires at least 90 points.

Pringle Creek's home raked in 103 points – more than the four previously certified platinum homes.