Adam Riley was born and raised in New Hampshire, spent some formative years in Maine and four years at the University of Vermont in the early 90's. He graduated with a degree in civil engineering and promptly put it to work climbing and skiing in the Tetons of western Wyoming. He worked for four years as a surveyor and log home builder in Jackson Hole but knew there was a better way to build. In 1998 he went back to NH to work for Benson Woodworking and found his passion for timberframing.

From 2001 to 2005 Adam was a general contractor in Jackson, WY. He specialized in building durable, energy-efficient timberframe and panel homes. In 2004 he participated in his first Econest workshop and found the building system he had been looking for along with a great group of like-minded designers and builders.

Adam now owns and operates Cloud 9 Builders in Driggs, ID on the mellow side of the Tetons. There he focuses on the design, engineering and raising of custom timberframe homes primarily from reclaimed timber. When he's not in the shop or raising frames, Adam can be found hiking and skiing in the Teton backcountry with his wife Christina and their two dogs.

Jason has been building since he could walk. Some of his earliest memories include going to the hardware store with his grandmother so he could create contraptions out of plumbing pipes. From building a trebuchet in his high school woodshop, to contributing to race car development as an undergraduate, to living in a self-designed tiny house camper on a cross country road trip, Jason has continually pushed his skills into new areas to build fascinating things. His background in engineering and finance led him into software development, and electronics prototyping, and eventually woodworking. Having a lifelong obsession with Japanese history and culture made it inevitable that he would discover the joys of Japanese woodwork. In 2017 he decided to officially shift the focus of his company exclusively toward timber framing, furniture building, and Japanese carpentry. The name of his company and personal mantra are one and the same: Never Stop Building.

"While I had dabbled in woodworking since I was a kid, I had always found myself in one or another high tech industry, providing consulting services to design prototypes for startups. Over time though, the work felt somewhat empty. After a particularly taxing day, I remember searching around for timber framing courses, thinking that I needed to try something new, build something with wood, and my bare hands. I found EconNest and when I read that the timber framing course required a Japanese chisel, something clicked in my mind. I somehow knew this was the course for me. And boy, was I in for a life changing adventure! Through EcoNest I've met a humbling assortment of extraordinary masters of the craft. With each bit of experience, the desire to walk the 'path of the tree' only intensified. After I got married my wife and I went on a long road trip through the forests of the west coast. It was during this trip that everything fell into place for me. You're standing there looking at a 1000-year-old cedar tree as big around as a truck, and you realize that every bit of you that loves nature, that loves craft, that appreciates the Japanese aesthetic and the engineer's precision can find fulfilment in honoring these amazing living things."

Never Stop Building LLC is a design-build studio located in Baltimore, Maryland. We specialize in traditional woodworking, furniture design, timber framing and finish carpentry, utilizing predominantly Japanese tools and techniques. We believe that by building high quality, long lasting goods from sustainable materials we will both reduce our impact on the environment and improve the quality of our lives and that of our children and grandchildren. To this end we endeavor to use sustainably sourced woods, natural finishes, and donate a portion of our profits to organizations that help steward America’s forests.

Note: Jason specializes in timber framing and finish carpentry. He is not a general contractor, but he is highly qualified to work with your general contractor or as an owner representative to help you create your EcoNest.

I have a varied background, from logging to construction to structural engineering, but have always had an interest in natural building. I read about solar energy and passive building technology for years and finally had a chance to put all those ideas to work when building my own (second) home on Vancouver Island in 2001 after attending an EcoNest workshop in New Mexico. I had considered rammed earth, but was so impressed by the efficient forming and material handling system used by Robert Laporte, that I decided to build with light clay. It just seemed to make so much sense, to combine insulation with thermal mass in a healthy breathable wall system. That house was built with wood chip / clay walls because straw was so expensive here on the Island, but I have since worked with straw / clay and both systems work well. I was also impressed with the EcoNest workshop program, bringing so many like minded people together for a common purpose.

After recently completing an EcoNest spec home with the help of Robert and a workshop crew, I am now a full time natural home builder, specializing in healthy, energy efficient and sustainable homes.

I hope to provide an alternative on South Vancouver Island for people looking for healthy natural homes.

I grew up on a homestead property in the forests of Southern Ontario, Canada. Our family lived in a square post and beam log home that was built by my parents using re-cut timbers from 2 dismantled Mennonite barns. I spent the majority of my time exploring and discovering the plants and animals of the forest; learning about biology and ecology. I think my childhood really planted the seeds for some strong values that have re-surfaced later in life, and I have come to appreciate more fully in my adult years.

I was always taught to seek a living doing something that I am passionate about. Despite the insightful advice, it still took until my mid-20's to arrive at the realization that building held the key to my search; requiring equal measures of physical fitness, creativity, skill, physical and mental dexterity, flexibility, and problem solving. It also affords me the great privilege of working outside in nature on a regular basis.

I studied Building Renovation at George Brown College in Toronto, and graduated with honours in the spring of 2006. I spent the next 4 years working in Vancouver BC. Initially I spent about a year operating as a freelance carpenter - on a bicycle. I towed all of my own tools to each job in a bicycle trailer, and only accepted projects that were within a 45-minute ride of my house. Eventually I came to the realization that I needed to expand my skill-set and knowledge base in order to take advantage of some of the job offers that I was receiving. I took a job doing high-end home renovations, honing my skills as a carpenter, and cutting my teeth on project coordination. I remember being struck by the sheer volume of waste generated by construction and renovation, and thinking that there must be a better way.

I started researching natural and sustainable building technologies and practices; attending natural building workshops and seminars, and reading every book and article I could get my hands on.

In 2010 I returned to Ontario, and spent the next 3 years working as a lead hand carpenter, framing conventional houses in Collingwood, Ontario. Again I was confronted by large volumes of waste; but this time on an even larger scale.

I moved into timber frame construction, where I spent 3 years working as a full time project manager for a well-established timber frame company located near Barrie, Ontario. Having the opportunity to plan and execute such large, custom residential and commercial projects was an invaluable and deeply educational experience for me. I thrived professionally, and enjoyed many successful projects. But I still struggled with the wasteful habits of the construction industry, and all of the synthetic plastics, foams and processed materials which I was discovering to be ubiquitous throughout the construction industry.

In 2015 I had the opportunity and great pleasure of attending a 3-week intensive EcoNest workshop in Gravenhurst, Ontario. It quickly became apparent to me that I had found a building system that resonated with my own values and beliefs. The experience felt almost surreal. The structures and processes that I knew were still at play, but everything was stripped bare and exposed - there was a raw, simplified honesty. It re-ignited an internal excitement that I had not even recognized had become dormant.

Through EcoNest, I have rediscovered the spirit of building, which nourishes my own spirit. I feel that I have come full circle, back to a grounded space where I can move forward with a new sense of purpose.

I have now participated in 3 EcoNest workshops to date as of September 2016. Each experience reinforces my conviction to dedicate myself to the pursuit, development and advancement of Natural building. The holistic approach that Robert and Paula have adapted to building is truly nourishing, and I am so grateful to have the privilege to work together with them.

I highly recommend EcoNest, and I look forward to collaborating on many more homes together over the coming years.

"Kyle's resourcefulness, building experience and communication skills are what set Kyle apart as a builder and project manager. He has been a joy to work with and is directly responsible for the success of three EcoNests." -Robert Laporte