High Efficiency + Highly Efficient.
We’re design-savvy builders that collaborate with build-savvy designers.
From the materials to the process to the final product, everything we do is energy efficient and airtight. Let’s save our clients time and money not only during the build, but for the life of the home.
Our process blends the benefits of design-build with the objectivity of distinct roles for the designer, the builder, and the client. Ideally, we enter each project at the design stage, so that we can work concurrently to cost estimate and optimize ongoing design decisions.
The Soul of a Home is Built-In.
Every JRA project has its own unique spirit fueled by the energy our team brings to the process. Each individual on our team of hardworking professionals wants to make a difference, make a statement, or make magic in the world. Meet the JRA crew - the nicest group of folks you ever let into your house. Our employees are our greatest asset and we think you will like them too.
For almost 20 years, we’ve had the privilege of working alongside many skilled professionals.
Since our company’s founding, each team member has contributed their expertise and craftsmanship to build our company’s portfolio. Every project reflects the talent and dedication our team brings to work each day.
About Our Founder
James Ray Arnold (JRA)
Raised in the trades, James developed an early appreciation for building that led him to study environmental engineering. After moving to Portland in the early aughts, he joined the burgeoning green building movement, connecting with the local authors of the Living Building Challenge and a community of like-minded professionals advocating for a more meaningful sustainability agenda. By 2010, he became a first-generation Certified Passive House Consultant.
In JRA’s early years, James worked alongside his father, combining decades of experience across all aspects of construction with a building crew that also functioned as a research and development team. Over the years, each project refined building assemblies, improved material sourcing, and benefited from ongoing collaboration with forestry trade partners.
James approaches every project with the belief that there is always room to improve. No awards or certifications are required—just a commitment to continuously enhance our processes, services, and the quality of every project.
