AIA, ALA, NCARB, GGA
Growing up on a small organic farm in rural Illinois, Nathan was immersed in a culture of doing more with less. His father made his own fertilizers out of organic matter, installed a solar panel to heat their house, and sold colorful vegetables at a roadside stand. “We tried to reuse all the time. We’d get larger packing materials discarded by big-box stores turn them into sheds on the farm,” Nathan recalls. Now Nathan’s family live on a small property and his sons have responsibility for raising chickens. “I want to teach them stewardship, as well as an understanding and respect for the cycles of life.”
Nathan’s ecological ethos complements his work as an architect. During his 13+ years in the profession, he’s managed the range of project aspects from developing conceptual ideas through construction detailing to conducting on-site inspections. He had a knack for adapting systems to green requirements and became the go-to guy for sustainable design at BLDD Architects. Then, in the spring of 2014, Nathan became a co-owner and Principal of EA Architecture and Design in Illinois.
Recognizing Green Globes was a “less cantankerous and time-consuming” green building rating system, Nathan decided to become an assessor. He enjoys seeing different architectural approaches and guiding clients through the process. “When projects go for Three or Four Green Globes, I consider if I can use their innovations on my professional projects.” he says. “And when an assessment shows a building on the threshold of a higher rating, I like to help them find ways to make the building more sustainable.”