Margie Hamrick, owner of EcoExistence

Interview by Irene Rawlings

EcoExistence is a boutique building and development company with a focus on sustainable building practices. “I love being a boutique builder and building only one home a year,” Margie Hamrick says. “...that way I can sit in on all of the meetings from excavation to landscaping and make decisions based not on money but on relationships.” Hamrick’s vision for her company includes building beautiful, efficient and sustainable luxury homes that will attain LEED for Homes Gold Certification or higher.

Mountain Living: What was it about building a luxury green home that attracted you?
Margie Hamrick: I didn’t start out to build a sustainable home but once I was introduced to Eagle County’s ECOBuild guidelines, I wanted to make this project as eco-friendly and high performance as possible.

ML: Why is building green important to you?
MH: If we make preserving our environment a priority, it will have a positive impact on our health and the health of the planet. We have all talked about being green for years; for me it was time to stop talking and start doing.

ML: Where did you start with the planning and designing?
MH: My goal was to put together a team of professionals in the green community. Eventually, my community grew beyond the Vail Valley, into Denver and across the country. Active Energies helps us navigate through the point system for LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification. From there we worked closely with the trades, challenging each of them to become green experts in their field.

ML: Is building a green home more expensive than building a traditional structure?
MH: There are many ways to build green without increasing the budget. For example, using local products and materials reduces transportation and fuel costs and
supports the local economy. If you site the home properly, you can take advantage of light and sun. Using recycled materials is another way to reduce costs while going
green. But...we should really stop counting dollars and counting savings. Sustainable building is the way all homes will be built in the future.

ML: How did you find a green architect and builder?
MH: My goal was to put together a team that was as passionate about green building as I am. Residential designer Peter MacDonald (of Peter Stafford MacDonald & Company) was just beginning a transition into sustainable building and was very enthusiastic about the challenge. Boles Custom Builders have built homes in the Rocky Mountains for more than 30 years and are already using green building techniques. Project manager David Huffman brings years of building and management experience to the team.

ML: Why is there so much interest in building green?
MH: It is a fact that the building industry uses a lot of energy and resources. By building green, we are being responsible to the earth and to the life we all share.

Ecoexistence
ecoexistence@aol.com or (970) 926-9261

Video by David Foxhoven