Arête Builders is committed to building high-performance, energy-efficient, resource responsible homes.  Buildings account for 40% of our raw material use, 48% of carbon emissions, and 70% of electricity use.  As recent economic and political events have made clear, energy use is no longer simply an environmental concern; it directly impacts our nation’s security.  We believe that the building trades have for too long been part of the problem-we want to be part of the solution.

The same factors that make a house energy-efficient make it a more comfortable and safe place to live.  We are committed to building tight building shells that seal out drafts, installing quality windows and doors that keep warmth and light in and the elements out, and mechanical systems that are quiet and comfortable.  We place the same level of care into the details of the foundation, framing, and insulation that many builders put only into their finishing touches, creating a house that is as comfortable and safe as it is beautiful. 

Some builders believe that if you can’t see a problem, it ceases to exist.  At Arête, we know differently.  Problems such as mold growth, moisture intrusion, and energy inefficiency are relatively easy to mitigate with careful detailing during the early phases of the house, but become more difficult and expensive to fix later on down the road—and the problems might not appear for years.

At Arête, we believe that high-performance homes don’t happen by accident.  We take great pride in building with a holistic approach.  Buildings are complex machines with many interdependent systems.  Building science is demonstrating that poor indoor air quality, drafty building shells, and inefficient building techniques are inextricably linked.  We strive to keep up to date on the current research in the building sciences to incorporate the best available science and research to ensure your comfort and safety.

In order to remain viable in this changing world, the construction business must keep adapting.  At Arête, we are excited to be part of a new attitude in the building industry.  As a small business, we have an ideal opportunity to develop our company according to this attitude.  Resource-responsibility and energy-efficiency have been important to us from the start, so we are not faced with the difficulties of retrofitting a large corporation with an entirely new approach to building. We simply  keep working under the same values we have always had, finding the best ways to incorporate energy performance into the unique style of each individual home.

The homes of the future not only should, but must, be built responsibly.  The best homes of the future will do so without sacrificing traditional craftsmanship and individuality.  Here at Arête, we are committed to creating the best homes, today and always.