portland community

Portland Community

Our Portland store is in a neighborhood of historic brick warehouses in Southeast Portland, just a few blocks from the banks of the Willamette River. We have a beautiful new showroom, remodeled in 2008 to create a space where patrons can experiment and play with all of our materials in a comfortable and organized setting. The material wall is full of samples that you can pull out and mix and match, or you can pull up a stool at the “paint bar,” talk to the coatings specialist and watch your paint get mixed.

Our store first opened in 1992 as Environmental Building Supplies. In those days, it was a tiny hole-in-the-wall in the “brewery blocks” of Northwest Portland, and we had two employees. While we were building our business, the post-industrial neighborhood became the trendy Pearl District, and we outgrew our space. In 2001 we moved to our current Eastside location on SE 8th and Taylor (click here to learn more about our history).

Though we’ve changed our name to ecohaus, we remain committed to bringing our customers the best building products we can find for their families and the environment. Our staff is knowledgeable, interested, compassionate and just as concerned about your health and your home as you are. We have skilled professionals who can offer design and installation services, and we have home delivery for those who own a small vehicle or want to bike to the store. In 2008 we began opening our doors on Sundays to better serve our growing clientele.

ecohaus is an appreciative and active member of the Portland community. We participate in educational programs with local and state colleges, and we lead tours for professionals and school groups interested in green building. We’ve supported and donated materials to countless sustainable building projects, and we’re primary sponsors of the innovative REX (Reuse Everything eXperiment) House Project. We our principles into practice at the office, as well. We were awarded the Blue Works recycling award by the City of Portland, and every year we’re enthusiastic participants in the Bike to Work Commuter challenge. We even compost our food scraps in our break room (although it’s usually somebody else’s turn to bring them home).

We’re proud to be living and doing business in the place that the online environmental-news magazine Grist has named the second “greenest” city in the world (we were edged out by Rekjavik, Iceland). We”ve grown up along with a truly amazing local sustainability movement, and we plan to remain at its forefront for years to come.

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Store History

In 1992, Markus Stoffel, the founder of our Portland store, had just finished an intensive training on solar energy. In the course of his studies he had learned a lot about energy-efficient building, and he was eager to apply his knowledge. But when he looked around, he noticed a larger problem: there were no healthy building supplies available for people to put inside their energy-efficient, tightly sealed homes. He decided to meet the need he saw in his community, and Environmental Building Supplies was born.

A native of Switzerland, Stoffel grew up around techniques, materials and finishes that had been used for hundreds of years. He had an appreciation for the health and beauty these products lent to a home, and he opened a tiny store in Northwest Portland with the hope that he could offer the same to people in his adopted home town.

A quick inventory of what was compromising the air quality in people’s homes led the first Environmental Building Supplies to offer real linoleum (instead of vinyl flooring), wool carpets and natural floor finishes. After six months in business, Stoffel was able to hire his first employee. The business continued to grow, and in 1995, Stoffel’s wife, Abby Mages, left her day job and joined the company. She quickly became a source of inspiration and leadership in sales training and merchandising, demonstrating a remarkable ability to work with vendors and a thorough understanding of the market.

With a basic philosophy that what is good for humans is good for the earth, Environmental Building Supplies sought to lead people to solutions using local forestry programs, regional suppliers, hands-on learning and a well-trained staff of dedicated people. Over the years the store expanded its offerings to include VOC-free paint, clay wall plaster, cotton insulation, countertops, efficient woodstoves and more. The company was so successful that it expanded to the Central Oregon City of Bend in 2002.

Today, the store that Stoffel nurtured has relocated three times, and has become Portland’s leading retailer for green building materials. In 2006, Stoffel and Mages sold the company to Environmental Home Center, a Seattle retailer whose philosophies and product line were perfectly aligned with that of Environmental Building Supplies. As ecohaus, the store has been able offer an increased inventory at lower prices, play a more substantial role in the local green building movement, and make a difference in the lives of more people.

Mages has remained with ecohaus, and she continues to help guide the company’s merchandizing. Ever leading by example, Stoffel left ecohaus in 2007 to pursue his dream of hand-building a healthy home for his family. Featuring solar energy and efficient, beautiful design throughout, the Northeast Portland house that Stoffel completed in 2008* embodies the vision that began with Environmental Building Supplies. And thanks to the store he created, his dream house is filled with gorgeous green materials that remind him of his youth.

Professional Sales Team

For builders, contractors and designers, ecohaus Pro Sales delivers

Since 1992, Ecohaus has helped building and design professionals grow their businesses by offering a wide selection of sustainable building materials.

With a dedicated Ecohaus contact and personalized service, our Professional Sales staff understands the “green” building industry and shares this knowledge with customers, creating a partnership that ensures mutual growth and a high degree of client satisfaction.

At Ecohaus, we offer the peace of mind that all of our products will stand up to the highest standards of aesthetics, sustainability, quality and performance. Ecohaus is the source for stylish, durable and price competitive building and finishing materials that are resource and energy efficient, and promote a healthy indoor living environment.

Ecohaus sets the bar high to consistently meet professionals’ expectations by offering:

  • Stylish, Durable & Price Competitive Green Materials
  • Exclusive Brands & Innovative Products
  • In Stock Items & just-in-time Product Availability
  • Design & Installation Services
  • LEED Accredited Staff Members
  • Beautiful Showrooms
  • Flexible & Timely Shipping & Delivery
  • Contractor financing

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