Organic Environments offers a full range of owner/builder support services including RFP development and administration, design and construction decision support, contracting support, and agent support services. We can help conventional contractors build straw bale buildings by providing straw bale construction workshops, on-site instruction and support, and straw bale construction inspections services.

Whether you are building your home yourself and need a knowledgable, able, and experienced hand to help you keep your project moving or are contracting the work with a general contractor and need someone with the skills necessary to manage your owner-contractor relationship Organic Environments can help.

RFP Development and Administration

We can help you to assemble your thoughts about what you want to build into a package for presentation to designers, architects, engineers, and builders. We will then prepare a Request for Proposals and shop it around to the associate and professional members of the Ontario Straw Bale Building Coalition as well as nonmembers who are interested in making the move to straw bale construction.

Design and Construction Decision Support

We have been involved in the design and construction of a number of straw bale buildings and can help you to make informed, responsible, economical decisions for your project. We are familiar with most of the techniques and materials being used in modern Ontario straw bale construction and know most of the key players in the industry.

Contracting Support

Dealing with contractors, subcontractors, and trades people can be intimidating if you have never done it before. Hank has worked on over 350,000 square feet of industrial/commercial renovations and construction and has dealt with projects from the very large to the very small. He can help you through the process of selecting, contracting, and paying your subs to ensure that your project goes well and everyone is happy.

Agent Support Services

Are you faced with being the general contractor on your project and don't know where to begin? Have you taken Gail's "How to be your own general contractor" course and don't think you're up to it? We can help. We will act as your agent in contracting and managing your project.

Straw Bale Education

Hank and Anita are internationally known straw bale educators attracting workshop participants from as near as down the street and as far away as Georgia, Alabama, Illinois, Nova Scotia, Manitoba, and British Columbia. Our workshops are mainstream and are designed to be accessible to participants with a variety of experiences and abilities. Our system is straight forward and can be adapted to an ultra-energy efficient, ultra-responsible style of construction or to large residential, commercial, or industrial construction.