Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde development recognized for high standard of efficiency and resilience

In 2022, the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde began building a grouping of 24 single-family homes specifically for tribal elders. Completed in 2023, the Creekside Elder Housing community now houses 24 tribal elders and their families in net zero homes with resilient storage systems.

Creekside Elder Housing is located in a rural area that routinely experiences power outages and grid failures due to natural events. This made resilience a goal in the design and operation of the community. The area is also subject to wildfires so the team made many design and product choices to mitigate this threat to the homes and their occupants.

The Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde worked closely with Energy Trust of Oregon and the Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance (NEEA) to complete this project. The team behind Creekside Elder Housing were awarded the Innovative Collaboration Award at NEEA’s 10th annual Leadership in Energy Efficiency Awards in December 2024. This award was in recognition of the outstanding use of innovative solutions to achieve superior energy efficiency.

“These are some of the most efficient and resilient new homes in Oregon,” said Greg Lasher, technical advisor at TRC who worked on the project on behalf of Energy Trust. All 24 homes have solar PV panels and earned Energy Trust’s net zero status. In addition, each home has 14 kWh of battery storage and the wiring capacity to have mobile generators provide power to the homes. Fire resiliency features include metal roofs, and fiber-cement siding. Triple-pane windows provide thermal resilience, helping to keep the homes comfortable during weather extremes and decreasing the workload on the HVAC system. Sun tunnels aid in bringing additional natural light to the home’s interior.

Creekside Elder Housing demonstrates a future of efficient, affordable, healthy, and resilient homes. Learn more about this project by reading the case study and watching the companion video on the BetterBuiltNW website.