Our communities continue to gulp energy at a rate that is going to make it harder for us to all have the power we need at our homes and businesses in the future.
There’s a lot we can do to become a more energy-efficient society.
Some elected officials are approaching the problem by urging utilities leadership to add new sources of green energy, like solar and wind, to expand grid capacity. That’s important.
But we also need to reduce demand.
Passive buildings can keep occupants comfortable and safe while drastically reducing our need for high volumes of energy—on average, they use up to 80% less energy than a standard building and can “flatten summer cooling demand and shift demand to off-peak periods,” according to the Passive House Network.
The Dogwood House is an excellent example. This 1,934-square-foot house in an urban neighborhood shelters a family of four and their pets and powers an electric car and all-electric appliances. It’s a passive building, and also has installed solar panels.
In September of 2025, its occupants’ power usage was 249 kilowatt hours (kWh) for the month. Compare that with the 2022 monthly average in Olympia —1,434 kWh—and in the U.S.—899 kWh.
⚡️That represents an 83% reduction in energy usage compared with the Olympia average and a 73% reduction in energy usage compared with the national average.⚡️
And if you need dollars and cents, our clients’ total for that electric bill was just a service fee: $8.17 Their - energy costs, courtesy of the solar panels, was: $0.00!
Combining The combo of highly efficient structures and on-site power generation clearly reduces strain on the power grid. And for home owners, the The reduced cost is a huge bonus to home owners.
We’re not just in the passive building fan club because the houses are beautiful and efficient but because we can see that they’re a big part of our energy solutions for everyone’s future.
Photography: @_karamercer
Project Location: Olympia, WA
#architecture #archilovers #thriveinside #archdaily #archiecturaldetail #urbandesign #sustainabledesign #architecturalphotography #pnwarchitecture #prefab #highperformancedesign
Calling out our gratitude to @the_phnetwork 🙌
The Passive House Network is an incredible resource with comprehensive passive building education for people all across the building industry (and laypeople, too!).
It’s a place where builders, designers, contractors, and other experts in the field can form knowledge-sharing networks, open up conversations around educational resources, and dive deep into the environmental, public health, and equity impacts of passive building.
They have a robust video library, case studies by climate zone, and much, MUCH more.
We ❤️ the Network and are grateful for the good folks who keep shouting out the incredible ways that passive building can make life better. 😎
Want to nerd out about all things passive? This is a great place to start!
What’s “prefab”?
Prefabricated homes are made of custom wall, roof, and floor panels that are completely constructed off-site and then put together by a building crew when they’re done—giant piece by giant piece.
Why would you choose to have us create a prefab design for you? Because it’s a better product and faster construction schedule:
💧It’s ideal for wet climates (👋 PNW). Construction materials stay dry, which reduces the risk of mold and mildew.
🕚 It saves you time because panel construction can start while site work and permitting are happening.
🪜 It *really* cuts down on construction time and labor.
😮 Houses go from foundation to dry shell in only about a week!
💲 It costs about the same as a conventional passive building, with better performance and less waste.
We’ve designed prefabricated homes, community buildings, and even our own office! But we don’t make the panels ourselves. We collaborate with some incredible builders who specialize in prefab panels, like @collective_carpentry@forma_cc@korsmo_construction Check them out!
Project: @artisansgroup Billy Frank Jr. Institute
Location: Tumwater, WA | Olympia, WA
#architecture #archdaily #archiecturaldetail #urbandesign #sustainabledesign #pnwarchitecture #pnw #highperformancedesign #sustainability
Thinking about building a home where you want to live forever—and pass on to your family? 🏡
Passive house construction will help ensure that your home is resilient, maintainable, and comfortable for generations.
That’s not marketing jargon. It’s decades of building science.
When your home is built with lasting materials, insulated to the gills, and outfitted with ultra-efficient heating, cooling, and air exchange systems, you’ll save on bills, have fewer maintenance headaches, and be able to depend on the structure for safety and comfort.
Project Location: Puget Sound
Windows: @zolawindows
Build: @artisansgroup
#architecture #archilovers #designinsperation #archdaily #archiecturaldetail #urbandesign #sustainabledesign #architecturalphotography #pnwarchitecture #pnw #highperformancedesign #passivehouse #sustainability
Every home office looks different, but they all need certain components to help make your workdays productive.
Here are our office must-haves:
• A deep-work zone. A place where you can concentrate, free from distractions. This can be a separate work corner in your space or you can create a more focused work environment by using noise-cancelling headphones or white noise.
• Standing and sitting options. A desk that adjusts height or separate standing and sitting work stations helps you focus and avoid fatigue.
• A comfortable chair. A comfy place to sit can function as a separate work space or as a thinking and dreaming zone, where you can read, write, and brainstorm.
• Good lighting. Combining natural light, task lighting, indirect lighting, and mood lighting creates an ambience where it’s simpler for you to focus and create.
• Organizational tools. Shelving, drawers, cubbies, and desktop organizers help you locate whatever you need and keep clutter out of sight so you can focus in.
• A place to stretch. Having a space that’s big enough for a yoga mat will encourage you to move during the day, which aids productivity.
Design can help with all of these by identifying the best places in a space to locate various work zones and creating physical delineations between them. A designer can also work with you to align your space with your unique work style. Bespoke work spaces are the best work spaces!
Photography: @artgrayphoto
Location: San Juan Islands
Builder: @artisansgroup
#moderninterior #archilovers #interiorarchitecture #bespokeinteriors #interiors
What is an ADU, and why would clients want to add one to their home.
ADU stands for “accessory dwelling unit” and is defined in the county where we work as an additional, complete living space on the same lot as a single-family home. It must include a kitchen, a bedroom, and a bathroom and can be either attached to or separate from the main house.
People add ADUs for all kinds of reasons: to create a private place for a family member to live (think mother-in-law cottage), a comfortable space for out-of-town guests, or a space to rent out to supplement their income.
The most fun part about these projects for us is the ✨visioning ✨
• What will the existing structure allow us to do?
• How could we orient a stand-alone structure on the property to maximize privacy, access, and light?
• How could we make a small structure feel roomy while maximizing amenities and storage?
ADUs are full of constraints, which is where we thrive! Strict parameters lead to innovation and unexpected solutions. We’re excited to stretch these muscles in 2026!
Photography: @poppiphotography
Project Location: Puget Sound
Passive buildings are ✨healthier✨ buildings.
Most people who approach us about designing a passive house are driven by a desire for an incredibly energy-efficient home—and a love for our light-filled, modern designs. 🔅
But there’s an amazing side benefit to passive structures: better health.
Passive buildings are healthier for you than conventional ones because airflow and air quality are controlled through high-end mechanical systems and filtering technology combined with an environment that seals out outdoor contaminants.
🌬️ Airflow. A constant supply of fresh air keeps walls dry so mold and mildew are far less likely to ever form. This makes air healthier to breathe not only now but for the life of the house.
🏅 Air quality. Passive buildings are airtight to keep smoke and other toxins outside and banish drafts so you breathe only pure, filtered air.
#architecture #archilovers #designinsperation #archdaily #archiecturaldetail #urbandesign #sustainabledesign #architecturalphotography #pnwarchitecture #pnw #highperformancedesign #passivehouse #sustainability
In the spirit of spilling secrets.. 😏
Do you know the secret to a home that feels as good as it looks?
It’s not just the palette... It’s the building science behind the walls that allows the soul of the design to breathe.
Merging both rigorous technical execution and keen aesthetics create spaces that don’t just look visionary.
They perform at the highest level. 💫
Photography: @poppiphotography
Build: @rwandersonhomes
Project Location: Queen Anne
#architecture #archilovers #designinsperation #archdaily #archiecturaldetail #urbandesign #sustainabledesign #architecturalphotography #pnwarchitecture #pnw #highperformancedesign #passivehouse #sustainability
Do you dream of interiors layered in color and patterns? Us too! And, lucky for you.. We’re sharing our secret to making these dream spaces a reality! ✨
Create a color palette that you love; this can be for the entire home or individual spaces.
Mix of Natural materials, patterns, textures, and architectural elements (beams, arches, framing features). Use a variety of shades/ tones, transparencies.
Bring in colors from other rooms, go light in some, dark in others - match the vibes of each space's purpose rather than worrying too much about 'matching' the house.
Bring in what you love and use it throughout.
Photography: @_karamercer
Photo Styling: @cozbi_jean_
Interior Designer: @sparrowdesigncompany
Build: @firstfinishersllc
Project Location: Tumwater, WA
#architecture #archilovers #designinsperation #archdaily #archiecturaldetail #urbandesign #sustainabledesign #architecturalphotography #pnwarchitecture #pnw
Join us in raising a glass to Natalie and Sammy, who are both now licensed architects! 🥂
The fact that they completed their exams and achieved this milestone while working with our firm is a huge accomplishment.
To earn licensure, candidates need to complete three years of mentorship under a licensed architect and pass multiple rounds of the Architect Registration Examination (ARE). These women rock! 💪
We’re also having all the bittersweet feelings at our office.
Sammy will continue to work with AGAP, where we’ll continue to collaborate with her and benefit from her building science knowledge and affordable housing prowess.
Natalie is moving on to a firm in Nevada, where she lives. We’re so excited to see what she does in her future and envy the firm that will have a chance to work with her. We will deeply miss her thoughtfulness, refined communication skills, and talent for creating layered designs that are tailored to human needs.
Natalie and Sammy: we’re bursting with pride for you and feeling so grateful that we’ve been able to play a role in this huge career step for you both.
Way to go! 👏👏
Structures designed using passive building principles are the kinds of places where you want to spend icy, blustery days.
That’s because passive design hyper-conserves energy. ⚡️
Various aspects of passive buildings—like thick & continuous insulation, weather-repelling seals around windows and doors, and heat-recapturing technology—are designed to keep heated or cooled air inside and buffer against unpredictable outdoor temperatures.
The result is extraordinary comfort. Every corner of your home or office will be the same temperature. No drafts. No cold or hot spots. No schlepping a blanket around for the entire season.
Deep winter is one of our favorite times to sing passive praises! 🏠
#artisansgroup #thriveinside #passivehouse #sustainablearchitecture #pacificnorthwestarchitecture #pnwdesign
