Understanding and selecting the right green approach for your project – BPC helps educate our clients so they understand the “many shades of green building,” the different green building approaches and standards so they can make better, more informed decisions.

Site selection and assessment – BPC can visit potential building sites to help assess how well each property will help our clients meet their goals. We provide guidance regarding site work considerations.

Pre-design information and guidance – Prior to design starting on the home, we meet with our clients and the project architect to review the program elements, requirements, and performance goals for the home. We provide detailed recommendations for the home’s thermal envelope, mechanical systems, materials and so on. This is an essential step in the planning and design process for a high-performance home.

Home architectural design or design support – Throughout the design process, we work with each project’s architects, providing the green building and building science expertise required to achieve the desired performance and certification standards.

Material, systems, and product selections – Prior to design, as well as during and after the home’s general design has been created, BPC helps our clients and their architects select the most appropriate options for building materials, products and home systems that meet their goals for efficiency, sustainability, air quality, durability, cost and so on. Contrary to popular belief, there are many materials and options for green homes that cost the same as conventional homes. Some cost less, and some cost more upfront but deliver sizable savings that, over time (and sometimes quickly), offset the initial investment many fold. The net result is always a lower cost of home ownership.

Preliminary budget guidance and final budgeting – As the new home’s plans start taking shape – and especially as material, systems and product selections are made – we provide increasingly detailed construction budgets. Final detailed cost estimates are provided when final project plans and selections are made.

Computer modeling plans for performance – This step is unique to green homes designed to meet green building certifications. BPC creates computer models of the home’s expected performance before construction starts. This helps assure that when the new home is built it achieves the selected performance levels required for certifications.

Project and construction planning – For custom new home building projects to run smoothly, stay on budget, and be completed on time, a project’s construction must be carefully planned and coordinated. BPC provides this planning and coordination.

Subcontractor selection and/or recommendations – All new home construction projects, green or not, involve many trades. However, green homes require additional expertise. BPC’s years of training and experience allow us to select or recommend qualified subcontractors to be part of the project’s team. We work with a small group of highly qualified subcontractors who have extensive experience working with BPC’s green strategies and guidelines. The long-term relationships we have built with these contractors ensure high-quality work, fair pricing, and favorable scheduling.

Municipal permits and approvals – We secure building and health permits, as required.

Construction and construction management – We schedule, coordinate, supervise and provide quality control of all aspects of your new home’s construction. This includes communicating with subcontractors, ordering materials, scheduling deliveries, and performing project accounting.

BPC quality control inspections – Throughout the new home building process, BPC inspects each stage of construction. This helps assure quality and compliance with both building code and green standard certification requirements. We inspect the completed home to ensure everything, even those items not mandated by code or certification, meets BPC’s high standards.

Building inspections management – We schedule and manage all municipal inspections and ensure compliance, leading to a final certificate of occupancy.

Green-related inspections, testing, verifications, and certifications – Green building standards exceed those of regular building inspections. To assure green standards have been met, third-party verification is required for certification. We arrange for, supervise, and ensure your home passes the inspection and meets the certification standards for which the new home’s contract calls.

Warranty work and performance compliance – Once you have moved into your home, BPC stands behind our work. If there is a problem covered by BPC’s standard warranty or unique BPC performance warranty, we will fix it. BPC’s warranties assure the home performs as promised under the terms of our unique extended warranty.