PORT TOWNSEND — Through her line of GreenPod homes, Ann Raab wants to change how people live in two important ways.
“Our homes are built to demonstrate the principles of saving energy and living in a low-maintenance environment,” said the designer, who owns GreenPod Development of Port Townsend.
“And while we can build them to any size, we want to show people that they can be happy in 450 square feet,” Raab added.
As a warm-up to the company’s first appearance at the annual Seattle Green Home Tour on Earth Day weekend, April 21-22, GreenPod is conducting tours of its manufacturing facility and its latest model of an “organic” home this Saturday and Saturday, April 14.
The tours at 33 Cape George Wye, just off Hastings Street, will take place between 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. both days.
While Raab has maintained a high local visibility for GreenPods since the company was formed in 2007, the tours are meant to show the community the newly designed WaterHaus model, which includes a Kangen water system from Port Townsend’s Hydration Station.
“A lot of people wanted to see what we could do, but we didn’t want to show a model that belonged to someone else,” Raab said of the show.
“This is an opportunity to show them what we can do and make everyone in Port Townsend proud.”
Raab said people may want to attend both Saturday events because they will demonstrate a contrast.
The first will show the model in a bare-bones format, while the second will show it off fully furnished.
This demonstrates what Raab said is one GreenPod’s biggest advantages: the ability for customers to build homes within their budgets and needs.
A bare-bones version of the current model home runs at about $110,000, while a fully appointed pod with modular furniture, metalwork, an exterior recycling shed and all the interior bells and whistles will cost about $155,000.
Above that, a homeowner could add a car-charging station and a solar power array.
The mobile homes are built by Greg Barron of GreenPod Construction for delivery to customers.
Raab, who is a designer, said the homes were built using five guiding principles: to be energy-efficient, to be maintenance-free, to be constructed with sustainable materials, to use water conservation practices and to be unique.
This last goal fits nicely with the Port Townsend area, as there are many local craftspeople who can build something special.
“A lot of the modern homes have the same kind of windows and doors,” Raab said.
“With all the local resources and different trades like the Port Townsend School of Woodworking and the Wooden Boat School, we can use these elements to make the homes unusual and different.”
This includes a waterfall and living garden sculpted from metal by industrial artist Ray Hammar of Sequim, with Michael Hamilton of Port Hadlock crafting the tables and stools.
Seth Rolland of Port Townsend created the bathroom vanity from a rock and a slab of fir, while wall textures were applied by muralist Gail Miller of Whidbey Island.
The interior is decorated with an exclusive line of organic fabrics by Suzanne DeVall, which is more than just a cosmetic touch, Raab said.
“We decided to put together a small house because if you can show people how to do it right in a small way, you can do it in a big way,” she said.
“People don’t know that the mattress has fire retardant on it and that fabrics have chemicals, so even if you give people a pristine environment, it is compromised in no time because of the number of toxins you bring in.”
A pod takes about six weeks to build in the shop.
There is an option to build a pod on site, where the construction time varies with regard to the location.
The company has built five homes so far, and Raab hopes the new exposure will help generate more business — or more interest.
“We want to give people the tools to do this on their own,” Raab said.
“We’ve shown people how to be energy-efficient.
“We’ve figured it out. Our plans are online where people can copy them in a heartbeat, and that’s fine.”
“Where we are different is how we take steps to convert the health and the feeling of the house.”
One example is the wall surfaces. Made of clay, they have texture and sparkle that are opposite to the matte of most walls.
“We want to do something for all the five senses instead of just the bottom line of being cheap,” Raab said.
“We want it to feel good, feel healthy, exotic and exquisite.”
The WaterHaus model will be open for tours during the Seattle Homes Show on Earth Day weekend, April 21 and 22, at the Green Depot at 4121 First Ave. S.
For more information about GreenPods, phone 800-569-0831 or visit www.gogreenpod.com.
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Jefferson County Reporter Charlie Bermant can be reached at 360-385-2335 or at charlie.bermant@peninsuladailynews.com.
