Our small team broke ground on The Joinery in North Tulsa’s historic Brady Heights neighborhood this morning.
When all is said and done, The Joinery on Denver Avenue will not only be self-sufficient but also give more to the environment — and to the community — than it takes.
But there's a lot of work to do. The 3,180-square-foot, two-story, brick residence is the first in Oklahoma to seek The Living Building Challenge™ certification from the International Living Future Institute. The challenge is considered “the world’s most rigorous proven performance standard for building.”
Actually, there are fewer than two dozen fully certified Living Buildings in the world.
Joining those ranks isn’t the only reason we're pursuing this certification.
The goal in designing and building The Joinery is to provide a space that connects neighbors to food, nature and community in an urban area north of downtown Tulsa.
The building has been in the design and approval process for five long years — but constructing four walls and a roof doesn’t guarantee the Living Building status.
The Joinery has to meet all 20 imperatives required by the International Living Future Institute, including demonstrating net positive energy, water and waste, and being built with materials free of chemicals of concern. This will require thorough documentation. Additionally, the finished building has to prove performance over 12 consecutive months to earn certification.
Meeting this standard and simultaneously setting a precedent in Oklahoma is no small feat. But our architect quells any doubts. At the helm is Molly Jones, an adviser to NASA on sustainability and president of Jones Design Studio in Tulsa.
"The Joinery challenges our current thinking about development in Tulsa,” Jones said. "It encourages us to be mindful of how and why we build. It motivates us to live more sustainably, protect our resources and build strong social networks. It aligns perfectly with our mission as an architectural firm."
The team also includes Building Culture and Anchor Development & Construction. We're actively welcoming local partners who share that mission.
Here's to safe and successful construction in 2019!