Redhorse Constructors Inc. says it is pushing the green building envelope in the San Francisco Bay Area with a slew of high-profile commercial and residential projects.

While many construction firms are just starting to get a grasp on LEED building, one California company is already taking green to the next level. Redhorse Constructors Inc. began as a small remodeling company in 1982 and now takes on large-scale residential projects, primarily in the San Francisco Bay area. Its clients have taken the company as far as Montana and Hawaii on occasion, and possibly the Caribbean in the near future.

The company's specialty, says owner David Warner, is applying green criteria to remodeling projects. This starts with education and determination.

“If you don't have the knowledge of policies and the desire to do it per a sustainable edict, you may be in a situation at the end of the day where it does not afford a green standard,” he explains.

“Our goal is to make projects as green and sustainable as possible.”

Moving beyond LEED, the company is striving toward more stringent guidelines that require a project to be self-sustaining on its land, Warner explains.

This means reusing wastewater and self-providing energy. “As we move forward, in our industry and as a culture, we have to be looking in that direction,” he says.

“There is a whole faction within the [U.S. Green Building Council] called the Cascadia Group. This group is pushing another level, while the first one isn't in position yet. It's a very dynamic situation. The standards are going to be a moving target for a while.”

Green Methods
Redhorse uses a variety of green construction methodologies at its project sites, Warner says. These methods include:

• Recycling existing materials such as timber, windows and appliances from buildings to be demolished
• Avoiding chemicals or pesticides that might leach into groundwater 
• Minimizing jobsite waste  
• Protecting trees and topsoil during construction 
• Using wind-powered water pumping systems when appropriate 
• Increasing demand for building products that are manufactured locally when applicable

“As public demand for green construction increases, Redhorse welcomes the opportunity to implement sustainable building techniques and practices,” the company states.

The company lists as examples two systems of earth construction that replace standard wood frame construction in order to reduce the use of wood products.  Rammed earth and gun-earth use material from excavations rather than from non-sustainable sources.

“Often driven by the client's interest, successful green projects combine new systems and product experimentation with challenging everyday use requirements,” it says. “Our dedication to these ideals produces buildings that blend the natural and built environment, substantially reducing resource and energy use while providing a sustainable residential development model.”

On the residential side, Redhorse is currently working on models for a client who Warner identifies as a Silicon Valley resident. The sustainable building practices used on the residential project will serve as an experiment for a corporate-scale application.

Talking House
The company's recent commercial work has included a new recording studio for Talking House in San Francisco. “It's the most sophisticated on the West Coast,” Warner says.

“The client has a very strong green edict. It was designed by John Storyk, who did the Lincoln Center remodel. It features clean air, no off gassing of formaldehyde and a wire structure that creates a net zero on electromagnetic fields [EMF].

“European standards for EMFs are much stronger,” he adds. “If you live under a high-transmission power line, does radiation accelerate cancer? The research is inconclusive, but for small populations, like lab rats, studies show that high frequencies create the potential for increased cancer rates. Even though it's a matter of potentialities, if you can knock them off, why not?”

The Talking House studio features natural light, which is unusual in a recording studio setting. The glazing systems were designed for acoustic performance, meaning higher STC ratings, Warner says. Redhorse completed the project in October 2006.

Montgomery Chapel
Another recent Redhorse project is the restoration of Montgomery Chapel within the San Francisco Theological Seminary. The work “reinstated beauty, charm and safety to this historic building,” the company says.

“The chapel has long been home to countless interfaith activities for nearly 100 years of existence,” it adds. “Upon restoration, the chapel is again available as a preaching and worship center in an ideal location.”

The Montgomery Chapel is an “impressive example of old-world beauty and proud craftsmanship,” it emphasizes. In addition, the exterior consists of rugged grey schist with sandstone moldings quarried locally.

The interior features hand-carved wainscoting, highlighted by intricate 1890s Tiffany-style stained glass, capped by domed plaster ceilings.

Mill Valley
Redhorse's residential portfolio includes a home in Mill Valley, Calif. The mountainside home sits within a redwood and fern canyon with a view of San Francisco and the surrounding bay. 

Architecture firm Fernau Hartman designed this multi-level residence by “artfully blending both its form and material palate into an existing environment that very much draws upon the relationship of nature and natural materials,” the company says.

“Ample window seating, corner windows and furniture placement constantly remind the owners of their proximity to the outdoors,” it continues.

“Interior vaulted ceilings, wood detailing, and attention to the craft of building made working on this residence equally challenging and rewarding.”

Sustainable Products
Redhorse is also working to create a line of sustainable building products. The company is building a factory in Canada that will produce oriented straw board panels, which are designed to replace wood panels.

Warner says the product was not available, but the technology was, “so I put two and two together and potentially started a new industry.

“We're using straw, a waste product, which has always been used as a particle board, but has never gotten to the point of being structural,” Warner adds. “The technology we've developed allows it to be as strong as conventional OSB. It's a huge breakthrough. I'm never one to sit back and be complacent.”

Team Building
Redhorse says it employs a company of multi-talented individuals dedicated to the building profession.

As a firm, Redhorse attributes its success in the industry to open communication, on-time management, mentorship of co-workers as well as cleanliness and efficiency on the construction site.

Since its formation, Redhorse says, it has grown and matured into an exceptional special services builder. 

“As a team, the firm's motivation and passion in building comes from finding solutions to complex challenges that occur when building unique structures,” the company says.

“Most importantly, Redhorse employees have benefited from the demands and challenges of working in an environment where the owner's requirements are consistently met with value and integrity,” it continues.

“As a result, Redhorse has formed great relationships with many of the leading design professionals in the Bay Area and beyond,” it adds.

Lifelong Process
Warner began his lifelong interest in building at age twelve when he built a two-story tree house with his brother and neighborhood friends.

He began apprenticing in construction at age 14, working summers throughout high school and college for general contractors, plumbers and electricians.

After graduating from The University of California Berkeley with a degree in conservation of natural resources, he obtained a teaching credential and taught high school biology, while continuing to work summers in construction.

After receiving his California's State Contractor's License in 1980, Warner and his wife Suzanne started Redhorse Constructors “where he has used his energy and enthusiasm to create a cadre of talented, dedicated professionals and subcontractors,” the company states.

Warner's other passion in life, besides his work, is bicycling.

He follows the Tour de France closely and is hoping that Lance Armstrong will win yet another title.      

His mottos in life are “work hard” and “no sniveling.”