Affordable Housing + Local Sourcing Tour

Thursday, September 21, 2023 - All day

Start in Lewiston 7:30 a.m., return by 5 p.m.

Can Maine build housing that is affordable, climate friendly and locally sourced? Meet practitioners answering that question in different ways.

198 Blake Street, Lewiston – A modern triple-decker apartment building with curb appeal that meets Passive House standards, the new state requirement for affordable housing in Jan 2024. Will hear from folks at Raise-Op, a resident-led affordable housing organization.

Bragdon Hill Forest, Poland - A community forest with a long history of sustainable forest management, now owned by New England Forestry Foundation. We’ll hear from the folks at NEFF, which recently received a $30 million federal grant to demonstrate forest practices that sequester more carbon while sustaining timber harvest levels for the construction industry.

KBS Builders, South Paris – Maine’s only manufacturer of modular housing, a labor-efficient form of housing poised for rebirth. We’ll hear how KBS competes in an industry dominated by Pennsylvanian manufacturers and their plans for potential expansion.

We’ll also hear from the developer of a modular housing prototype in Millinocket that runs on no more energy than it produces on site and built with lumber, 80-90 percent of which is grown in Maine. Also, there will be plenty of downtime for networking with colleagues and Local Wood WORKS staff Lee Burnett and Theresa Kerchner and advisors Lloyd Irland and Ken Laustsen. Professional credits available for architects.

The $75 cost includes lunch.