SPRING 2019
Vol. 11 #1
greenmagazinehawaii.com
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CONTENTS SPRING 2019
GREEN ___________________________
DESIGN ___________________________
ENERGY ___________________________
4 Lifestyle
6 ADU
9 Solar
Christina Laney Mitre explores what it means to live smart
5 Ag
The Hawai‘i Agricultural Foundation deep dives into scaling up local food
Live large in smaller spaces with help from Bento Homes
RevoluSun co-founder Eric Carlson's ride on the solar coaster
8 Build
Jake Johnson Designs, the avid Instagrammer to build your off-grid home
Published by Element Media, Inc. VOLUME 11 :: NUMBER 1 :: SPRING 2019
President Jamie Giambrone
Managing Editor Lauren McNally laurenm@elementmediahi.com
Publisher Naomi Hazelton
Art Director Keith Usher
Contributing Writer Jeremy Pearl
Publisher’s Assistant Christie Honore
Contributing Photographer Dave Miyamoto
Administration Sally Shaner
Subscribe and read online at greenmagazinehawaii.com Contact Element Media at 1088 Bishop Street, Suite 1130, Honolulu, HI 96813 808.737.8711 Follow Green on facebook at facebook.com/GreenMagazineHawaii and on Twitter at @greenmaghawaii. Green Magazine Hawai‘i is a quarterly publication available through subscription, direct mail and bookstores throughout Hawai‘i. The views expressed within Green Magazine Hawai‘i do not necessarily reflect the opinions of management and ownership. Green Magazine Hawai‘i may not be reproduced without written permission from the publisher. 2
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GREEN
LIFESTYLE // AG
CHRISTINA LANEY MITRE REALTOR ASSOCIATE - ELITE PACIFIC PROPERTIES FOUNDER - SMART LIVING HAWAII | LIFESTYLE |
SMART LIVING Christina Laney Mitre never set out to become a sustainable lifestyle guru. A self-proclaimed secondgeneration realtor, Laney Mitre followed in the footsteps of her mother, Yumi, whose 40 years of experience in the industry have guided Laney Mitre’s first 14. In 2017, Laney Mitre created the blog Smart Living Hawaii to provide her clients with information on affordable housing, smart home technology and solar. From the latest solar innovations to hit the luxury market to advances in LEED certification requirements for affordable housing projects, her blog provides sustainability content relevant to a range of readers and audiences. This foray into sustainability awareness in the residential arena quickly became the kindling for a passion project. “It’s evolved into more of a lifestyle brand,” Laney Mitre says. “Now, not only do we cover smart homes and technology, we explore sustainability as a whole for Hawai‘i.” Fascinated by the complex nature of sustainability, Laney Mitre is working to educate others about the disparate topics of agriculture, affordable housing and local culture. “It all ties together for Hawai‘i’s future,” she says. “That’s part of the awareness for the general public that I want Smart Living Hawaii to be, and that’s why I think it’s growing into something much more than just a blog.”
“If you can find a product or service that’s both lower cost and also energy efficient, then hands down, you have a winner.” 4
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Photo Bento Homes
By Christie Honore
Laney Mitre currently serves as the brand ambassador for Bento Homes and hopes Smart Living Hawaii’s multiple platforms can provide necessary exposure for local small businesses, like-minded companies and nonprofits. In addition to the original blog site, the Smart Living Hawaii brand has grown to encompass Facebook, Twitter and Instagram as well as its own podcast. “The more traction I get, the easier it is for me to get to know who the players are,” she says. “The more I learn, the better I can service my clients.” She believes both real estate and sustainability are governed by the same principle: lifestyle dictates purchases. Just as someone desiring an escape from the city will choose
different housing than someone seeking walkability to nightlife, valuing a sustainable lifestyle will dictate how a consumer uses their purchasing power. According to Laney Mitre, it’s typically the luxury market that serves as a testing ground for the latest and greatest innovations in smart home technology. It often takes several years and a government subsidy or tax break before middleclass consumers are able to utilize the same innovations at a price they can afford. “But the younger generation cares about being a better person for society,” she says. “If you can find a product or service that’s both lower cost and also energy efficient, then hands down, you have a winner.”
LIFESTYLE // AG
GREEN | AG |
EAT THINK DRINK ‘ALOHILANI RESORT WAIKIKI BEACH NOVEMBER 8, 2018 At the latest edition of its event series Eat Think Drink, the Hawai‘i Agricultural Foundation examined strategies for scaling up small- and mid-size agricultural operations to meet the demand for locally grown food. The panel and interactive dinearound event featured panelists Fred Lau of Mari’s Gardens, Dana Shapiro of Hawai‘i ‘Ulu Co-Op, Janel Yamamoto of GoFarm Hawai‘i and moderator Kamuela Enos of MA‘O Organic Farms. Photos: Hawai‘i Agricultural Foundation
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DESIGN
ADU // BUILD
MORE LIFE, LESS STUFF Live large in smaller spaces with help from Bento Homes By Jeremy Pearl
christina@laneyre.com smartlivinghi.com
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coordination of all sub-contractors. The designbuild process typically takes 10 to 12 months from start to finish, though permitting delays may extend that timeframe. And these aren’t “tiny homes” we’re talking about. The largest Bento Home includes three bedrooms, two bathrooms, a full kitchen and a complete indoor-outdoor living experience. As of this year, the company is also offering an expanded product line as Bento Homes & Interiors and designing and building custom homes of up to 1,200 square feet in addition to its pre-designed models. Modular luxury kitchens, bathroom vanities, media walls, closet systems and home offices are the foundation of Bento Homes’ sister company, Bento Build. All interiors are installed on Bento Build’s patented lattice system, enabling speedy installation, portability if needed and the ability to easily change cabinets if your needs change down the line. Bento Interiors also offers a line of European-designed-and-built transformable furniture: think coffee tables that convert into dining tables, high-quality wall beds and pop-out offices. Furnishing a small space can be tricky, but with Bento Homes & Interiors bringing quality and luxurious interiors to the island, furnishing your condo, apartment, residential home or even large-scale development just got a little easier— and not just on the eyes.
Photos Bento Homes
Small-footprint living doesn’t have to mean giving up the things that make your house a home. Need proof you don’t have to sacrifice comfort or quality to live in a smaller home? Walk into the Bento Homes & Interiors showroom at SALT at Our Kaka‘ako. You’ll be blown away by what the company has packed into its 400-square-foot sample home nestled in the space formerly known as Kaka‘ako Agora. Founded in Honolulu in 2016 to provide the Hawai‘i market with beautiful, comfortable, luxurious dwellings under 800 square feet, Bento Homes offers six pre-designed homes that all qualify as Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs), commonly known as ‘ohana units here in Hawai‘i. Recognized by law as an affordable alternative in Hawai‘i’s challenging housing market, ADUs are a tremendous investment opportunity and an innovative way to add new housing to existing neighborhoods. Bento Homes is unique in that it offers all design-build services under one roof and focuses specifically on residential homes up to 1,200 square feet. With Bento Homes, you’re also getting a wider-than-average range of configurations and add-ons, including high-end finishes, smart-home technology integration and energy-efficiency options. The Bento Homes team offers a complete turnkey service, including custom home design, a variety of materials and finishes, permitting, construction and
GREENMAGAZINE HAWAII.COM
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DESIGN ADU // BUILD
JAKE JOHNSON OWNER JAKE JOHNSON DESIGNS
Photo Sarah Cort
“I’m huge on affirmations. To give life to something you have to say it.”
| BUILD |
#BEST YEAR YET By Christie Honore Construction isn’t a field commonly associated with social media, but Jake Johnson’s successful business strategy relies heavily on his well-curated Instagram account. “No one even calls me by my last name,” Johnson says. “[They know me as] @JakeJohnsonDesigns!’ That’s when you know you’re doing it right, when people recognize you by your brand.” The 33-year-old’s account functions both as his business card and website, keeping him top of mind among potential customers, whose feeds are regularly updated with snapshots of his life and latest projects. “I recognized there was a niche there, and I’m grabbing at that with both hands,” Johnson says. “Obviously my generation might not have the money now to buy the homes that I’m building, but a lot of them might at some point, so they’ll know exactly who to go to.” However, Johnson’s resourcefulness in the digital world and on the job site 8
GRE E N M A G A Z I N E H AWA I I .C O M
didn’t appear overnight. Growing up in a farming family in Spokane, Washington, he dropped out of high school his senior year and worked as a barista and a dishwasher before discovering his aptitude for construction. “I ended up learning very quickly,” Johnson says. “I was just built for it. I was really nimble, and I was fearless. It was the first time in my life that I actually stuck with something.” In 2005, a year into his newfound passion, he was given 24 hours to accept a spot on a roofing crew destined for Princeville, Kaua‘i. Johnson packed his bags and, by 19, became one of the youngest and most dedicated members of American Tradition Homes’ construction crew. Projects led him to Maui and then O‘ahu, where he discovered his passion for modern custom homes. Utilizing his experience with field changes as a construction worker, Johnson works with architects to factor a building’s surroundings into its design, whether it’s raising a roof or adding windows to let in natural sunlight. His penchant for holistic design will lend itself well to his dream project one day: a secluded and sustainable home. “I would love to do an off-the-grid, middle-ofnowhere, simple structure,” Johnson says. “Just very clean lines and the most peaceful, tranquil views. Building big monster houses isn’t my dream—I like to try to take something and make it functional first, good-looking second.” In the five years since building his first modern custom home, Johnson’s career has taken off. He’s tackled back-to-back projects, filmed a soon-to-beaired episode of HGTV’s Aloha Builds and begun construction on his own shop. Though it’s obvious to his Instagram followers that 2018 has been good to Johnson, he has a specific intention behind his omnipresent hashtag #BestYearYet. “I’m huge on affirmations,” Johnson says. “Sometimes it might come off a little cocky, but I’m actually just doing it to hear myself say it. To give life to something you have to say it. I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be, and that’s a good feeling.”
SOLAR
ENERGY
| SOLAR |
POWER TO THE PEOPLE
“Solar is still one of the best investments you can make.”
By Lauren McNally ity and solar PV costs, which now include energy-storage components under HECO’s customer self-supply program. “Solar is still one of the best investments you can make,” Carlson says. “Even with the additional cost of the battery, the cost of solar has come down so much that you can get a solar system for less than what you would’ve spent a few years ago.” Customers can still take advantage of federal and state tax credits that offset the cost of new solar photovoltaic and hot water systems, and according to Carlson, modern solar technology is already designed to mitigate grid overload as a result of increased solar penetration. “Solar is a lot more technical today, which has played to our strengths,” says Carlson, who’s spent the last few months launching a new construction division, RevoluSun Build, focused on green home building as well as preliminary construction for RevoluSun’s commercial solar clients. “It feeds a niche for our clients, and it’s also a passion play for my partners and I to take what we’ve done at RevoluSun into the general contracting arena, which is educating people and delivering a quality product.”
ERIC CARLSON CHIEF INNOVATION OFFICER REVOLUSUN
GREENMAGAZINE HAWAII.COM
Photo Dave Miyamoto
From the time he was first handed a hammer and nails as a kid, there was hardly a doubt Eric Carlson would make a career of working with his hands. But after an injury on the job sidelined him as a general contractor, he changed tack to sell solar for up-and-coming renewable energy firm Sunetric and became its top salesman his first year, growing the company into Hawai‘i’s then-largest solar company. It wasn’t long before Carlson and a handful of his fellow Sunetric team members saw an opportunity to bring a white-glove service standard to the fledgling industry and branched out to found RevoluSun in 2009. “For the first two years, it was a huge education push," Carlson says. “That was the whole basis of our marketing and sales platform: going out into communities, holding free public workshops and sponsoring events—wherever we could get in front of as many homeowners as possible to empower them and provide opportunities for energy independence and financial savings.” Their community-centric approach paid off. “In the two years after we had started, we went from a company typically doing 100 installs a year to doing close to a 1,000 a year,” Carlson says. “Our competitors reaped the benefit of that as well, so that education platform really helped everybody as an industry.” But the boom came to a screeching halt after 2013, and RevoluSun was forced to diversify in order to weather policy changes that nearly shuttered the solar industry in Hawai‘i. “There've been some very dark days in our industry, but I've never worked with a team that can turn on a dime and forge a new path like this one can,” Carlson says. Expanding the company’s offerings to encompass a growing line of sustainable home technologies and energyefficiency solutions, Carlson and RevoluSun founding partners Joshua Powell and Colin Yost launched RevoluSun Smart Home in 2015, later relocating their original Smart Home showroom on Ward Avenue to a higherprofile location in SALT at Our Kaka‘ako. Education is still a crucial aspect of the business. Misconceptions abound surrounding tax credits, grid capac-
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