Interview with Thomas Doerr: Building green in Colorado

Susan Snipes interviewed Thomas Doerr, Principal at Doerr Architecture in Boulder, Colorado. This is first in a series of interviews of designers and architects focused on ecologocial design and sustainable practices.

Can you give a quick description of who you are and what you do?

I am an architect who specializes in ecological, or green, design including solar homes.

What does green architecture mean at Doerr Architecture?

It means designing buildings that use as little energy as possible and make as small of an ecological footprint as possible.

What would be the most important design change that any homeowner could do to make their house more energy-efficient?

Orient their house so the long sides run east to west with most of the glass on the south.

What is one of the worst choices of materials that is commonly used? And what’s a good replacement?

Fiberglass insulation due to its poor performance in real world installations. Instead, use a spray foam such as Icynene for its great R-value and air sealing.

I heard that construction costs generally account for only 10% of the costs of running a commercial building over a 30-year period, and paying more upfront would significantly reduce costs over the long term. Is that true from your experience?

I have not seen that figure but it sounds about right. There are many energy saving strategies with a quick payback and these can be determined with energy modeling before the building is constructed. Maintenance and occupant health can also be improved with good design.

What is the market interest in green buildings in this Denver/Boulder area of Colorado? How has it changed during your career?

Due to our higher education level, compared to most of the rest of the country, our region has a higher interest in green design. However, green design is still not fully taken advantage of. The recent fuel cost spikes and brownouts have generated much more interest.

Do either of your daughters want to be architects when they grow up?

They love designing things including buildings but are as of yet much more fascinated with being cowgirls, and rightly so.

Learn more about Doerr Architecture’s philosophy and view their portfolio online >