Members of the BIA-Hawaii Remodelers (BHR), the remodeling and restoration arm of the Building Industry Association (BIA) of Hawaii, will be offering helpful information on remodeling, landscaping, and design over the next several weeks in this column. We know you will find these columns loaded with helpful information.
Article by Merideth Kimble, Photos by David Croxford, Hawaii Home + Remodeling Sept 2008
Matt Goyke, AIA, NCARB, LEED AP BD+C,
Principal Designer, President and Founder
Green Sand Inc. is one of Hawaii’s premier green architect and design firms, thanks to its core team of LEED Accredited Professionals, who share a passion for sustainable design. “We are a great team that believes strongly in team work. We often find that the most challenging projects can become our most treasured designs because they encourage all of us to think outside of the box,” says company president Matt Goyke.
Goyke leads the team with 18 years of experience in planning, architecture and interior design, plus five years of experience as a construction manager. He is joined by Rhonda Goyke, Green Sand Inc.’s vice president and environmental specialist. Other team members include senior project manager Steven Gangwes and designers Morris Onishi, Ethan Levine, Katie Coffman and executive assistant Chiara McGowan. This year, the company celebrated its two-year anniversary.
My specialty:
Green Sand Inc. specializes in providing green and creative design solutions and Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) consultations. For each design, the company strives to optimize the natural environment to maximize and improve the quality of life for individuals and communities.
My inspiration:
“Lately, I have been really influenced and inspired by the natural resources that are available to all of us here in Hawaii,” says Goyke. “The sun, the wind, the rain—these are all resources to be harvested and optimized. These are not problems to be solved and disposed of. Even waste water and solid waste should be viewed as resources to be treated and recycled and reused.”
What I like about building in Hawaii:
“The environment, the history, the culture, the climate, the wind, the land, the ocean and the natural beauty. There are few places on Earth with qualities like Hawaii. There are so many influences and opportunities from a design point of view. By incorporating the history and its essence with innovative design, we can come up with something unique and truly beautiful.”
The current home building trends:
“A lot of people are trying to be as green as possible when building. Specifically, we see a lot of interest in indoor environmental quality. We spend a lot of time indoors, even in Hawaii. We have even seen some interest in residential-scaled wind turbines.