Raising the Bar: Building Resilience - A Tour & Conversation at Birdsmouth Design-Build’s SE Portland Passive House

What if our homes and buildings could be healthier, more comfortable, require less maintenance, be more climate-resilient—and dramatically reduce their environmental impact at the same time?

Join On Purpose Oregon for a special evening at one of Birdsmouth’s current projects: the SE Portland Passive House, an innovative ADU and future ‘Center for Resilience’ designed to demonstrate how high-performance buildings can enhance human well-being while serving as powerful climate solutions. Taking place during a unique phase of construction, this event offers a rare behind-the-scenes look at the building when its systems, wall assemblies, and high performance enclosure strategies are still visible—before they are covered by finishes. Because buildings are responsible for nearly 40% of global carbon emissions, the way we design and construct them matters. Explore how cutting-edge building practices can transform buildings from a major source of emissions into assets that support healthier occupants, a more resilient future, and a thriving planet.

Designed and built to the rigorous Phius Passive House standard, the project showcases how thoughtful design, airtight construction, high-performance windows, balanced ventilation, unique all-electric systems with solar and storage can create a home that is exceptionally comfortable, quiet, healthy, energy efficient and resilient. A building that is survivable in the face of heat domes, cold snaps, smoke days and more and more frequent power outages.

The evening will begin with a presentation from Birdsmouth founder and CEO, Josh Salinger, who will share the story behind the project and the principles that guide its design. Drawing from years of experience in high-performance building, Josh will explore how passive building strategies can dramatically reduce energy use while creating healthier, more comfortable, and more resilient homes. He will also highlight the role of low-carbon, locally sourced, and biogenic materials in reducing a building’s environmental footprint, demonstrating how natural and renewable materials can often outperform conventional fossil fuel–based products. Rather than focusing on technical details alone, the presentation will connect these ideas to everyday benefits that matter most to occupants: cleaner indoor air, consistent comfort in every season, lower operating costs, greater durability, and enhanced resilience in the face of climate and energy challenges.

Marianna Grossman will then share insights from her work as Founder and Managing Partner of Minerva Ventures, a consultancy focused on helping businesses, governments, and communities navigate climate risk and build resilience. Drawing on decades of experience convening leaders across sectors, advancing climate solutions, and helping organizations rethink their purpose and strategy for a changing world, she will explore how buildings, businesses, and communities can become catalysts for regeneration rather than extraction. Her work is grounded in the belief that

human prosperity depends on healthy ecosystems and resilient communities—and that innovation, collaboration, and thoughtful design can help create a future in which both people and the planet thrive

Following the program, guests will enjoy a guided tour of the home, allowing for a closer look at the design features and building systems that make high-performance construction possible. The

smaller tour format will create space for conversation and questions while providing an up-close experience of the project itself.

Throughout the evening, attendees will have time to connect with fellow business leaders, sustainability professionals, builders, designers, and community members over locally sourced food and beverages.

What to Expect

• A behind-the-scenes look at a certified Passive House project

• Insights into climate resilience, healthy buildings, and regenerative development • A conversation with Birdsmouth and Marianna about the future of sustainable buildings and communities

• Audience Q&A

• Guided tours of the home

• Networking with purpose-driven professionals

• Local food and beverages