Maine’s green building pioneers
Dale McCormick at the 1975 Iowa State Apprenticeship Contest. Courtesy photo.
By June Donenfeld
Green building may seem like the new kid on the block to some, but its history stretches back for decades, and Maine has more than its fair share of remarkable pioneers who have laid the foundations for this vital and growing segment of the building sector.
With growing momentum at the state and federal level to make high-performance homes a reality on a broad scale, we owe these pioneers a vote of thanks for all they’ve done to move the field forward. Green & Healthy Maine HOMES had the rare opportunity to speak with five of them recently to get their thoughts on how far we’ve come, how far we have to go, and ways we can get there.
Note: The following interview excerpts have been edited for clarity and length.
Charlie Wing
“Charlie has had an enormous impact on home building both in Maine and beyond... Even if you’ve never read his books (and you should), you’ve read books by people he’s influenced.”
Dale McCormick
“We always stand on the shoulders of those who came before us, and women would not be where they are now if it weren’t for the work Dale did back then.”
Naoto Inoue
“He has an amazing, inquisitive mind [and has devoted] his life to searching for ways to offset demand for fossil fuels—and anything else that will improve the planet.”
Peter Taggart
“Peter has always been a leader. He had an established company fully committed to sustainability, while others were only willing to do a house or two, or just dabble in the concepts. He has always led by example.”
Wes Riley
“I credit the foundation of my building science knowledge and understanding to his patient teaching and availability to answer my questions. His passion and generosity helped boost better building practices in Maine for many individuals, including me.”
This article appeared in the Fall 2022 edition of Green & Healthy Maine HOMES. Subscribe today!
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