HIOG - Hawaii Off Grid

HIOG - Hawaii Off Grid HAWAII'S PREMIER ARCHITECTURE FIRM: General Architecture & Net-Zero Building

We have some Big News! šŸ†šŸ†Journey Beyond The Grid: The Hawai'i Off-Grid Story has been nominated for two Northern Califor...
06/22/2026

We have some Big News! šŸ†šŸ†

Journey Beyond The Grid: The Hawai'i Off-Grid Story has been nominated for two Northern California Emmy Awards, recognizing Director Stephan Bƶeker for Best Business/Consumer Long Form Content, and Cinematographer & Editor Reece Pottorff for Outstanding Achievement in Editing.

This film was born from a simple belief: that the way we build our homes and communities matters now more than ever. Partnering with and watching Stephan and Reece bring that vision to life was one of the greatest privileges of this work. These nominations are theirs.

If you haven't seen the film yet, it's free on YouTube.
Link in bio.

Breaking ground on the next chapter of our Hawi Project and we couldn't be more excited. Nestled into the lush landscape...
06/19/2026

Breaking ground on the next chapter of our Hawi Project and we couldn't be more excited.

Nestled into the lush landscape of the Big Island, this Ź»Ohana is designed from the ground up to work with nature, not against it.

The crown jewel? A dramatic integrated solar canopy featuring .solar panels that double as the roof, generating clean, off-grid energy while providing sweeping shade across the lānai below.

But this home doesn't just harvest the sun, it's also designed passively to stay cool. The expansive overhangs protect the floor-to-ceiling glazing from direct heat gain, while the elevated structure allows natural airflow to circulate freely beneath the home, keeping it comfortable without mechanical cooling.

Exposed mass timber framing, from the soaring diagonal columns to the dramatic roof structure, brings warmth, structural beauty, and sustainability to every angle. The open lānai blurs the line between inside and out, inviting the trade winds in and the Big Island views to stay.

This is off-grid living designed with intention.

Honored and humbled. Hawaii Off Grid Architecture & Engineering has received a Special Mention in the Architizer A+ Awar...
06/11/2026

Honored and humbled.

Hawaii Off Grid Architecture & Engineering has received a Special Mention in the Architizer A+ Awards: Best Sustainability Firm category, and we are so grateful to be recognized alongside some of the most forward-thinking firms in the world.

Sustainability isn't a checkbox for us. It's the reason we exist.

From the moment we put pencil to paper, our goal is net zero, buildings that give back as much as they take, that work with the land rather than against it. That means reaching for materials that do more: Mass Timber, which sequesters carbon while it stands. SurfBlock ICCF, blocks which upcycles surfboard foam waste into walls with R-40 insulation. Materials that tell a story and pull their weight.

It means designing homes that don't need the grid to thrive, with solar, rainwater harvesting, and passive house principles baked in from day one. Homes oriented to catch the trades, shaded from the afternoon sun, breathing naturally the way buildings in HawaiŹ»i were always meant to.

We believe the built environment can be part of the solution to the climate crisis, not the cause of it. Every project we take on is a chance to prove that.

Mahalo to for this recognition, and mahalo to every client, collaborator, and community who has trusted us to build differently.

This is just the beginning.

Pic:

06/11/2026

Walls up. Roof on. Three days. Watch whatā€™s possible when you build smarter.

This is the Lāhainā Bunkhouse: the first-ever mass timber home in Habitat for Humanityā€™s global history, and this reel captures something we are incredibly proud of: an entire structure assembled in just three days using a crane to drop each prefabricated section into place.

Hereā€™s why this matters:

Mass Timber. Built for HawaiŹ»i. The Bunkhouse is built with prefabricated Veneer Laminated Timber walls and glue laminated timber roof panels, engineered around a four-foot module designed specifically for our island conditions, allowing for termite treatment before installation, efficient shipping to Maui, and rapid on-site assembly.

Speed without sacrifice. What traditionally takes weeks, we did in days without compromising quality, durability, or design.

The future of building in HawaiŹ»i. This isnā€™t just a bunkhouse. Itā€™s a proof of concept for how we can build affordable, resilient housing faster and at lower cost, not just in Lāhainā, but across the Hawaiian Islands. When disaster strikes, communities shouldnā€™t have to wait years to come home. This system changes that.

Lāhainā deserves to be rebuilt with the speed and care it deserves. This is how we get there.






We are deeply humbled and grateful. šŸŒŗ'Ohana Hope Village has been named a finalist for the Architizer A+ Awards in the A...
06/09/2026

We are deeply humbled and grateful. šŸŒŗ

'Ohana Hope Village has been named a finalist for the Architizer A+ Awards in the Architecture for Good category ā€” and this recognition means everything to us.

Born from the heartbreak of the August 2023 Maui wildfires, 'Ohana Hope Village was designed from the ground up to do one thing: give displaced families a real home while they wait to rebuild. Not just shelter ā€” a home. With a private lānai, kitchen, and bathroom for each unit, and communal gathering spaces built for the big, beautiful, multi-generational families that make HawaiŹ»i what it is.

The 88-home, ten-acre village in Kahului pairs Continest modular units with off-grid energy and wastewater systems ā€” keeping costs down for residents and building a model that can be replicated wherever climate disaster strikes next. Each pod functions as its own micro-grid. Sixteen community centers anchor the village, designed for the lÅ«Ź»au-sized gatherings, the quiet conversations, the healing that happens when people feel at home.

This project was designed with trauma-informed care at its core ā€” in partnership with Family Life Center ā€” because we believe architecture has the power to restore dignity and hope.

To be recognized for that work is an honor we share with every family who calls 'Ohana Hope Village home.

Happy World Oceans Day!Here in HawaiŹ»i, the ocean isn't a backdrop, it's the foundation. It shapes our climate, feeds ou...
06/08/2026

Happy World Oceans Day!

Here in HawaiŹ»i, the ocean isn't a backdrop, it's the foundation. It shapes our climate, feeds our communities, defines our culture, and reminds us every single day why sustainability isn't optional. It's everything.

At Hawaii Off Grid, the ocean is part of why we build the way we build. Off-grid solar. Rainwater collection. Fire-resistant, low-impact materials. Every design decision we make is a vote for the kind of future these waters deserve.

The Pacific doesn't have a voice in your building permit. But we can speak for it, one structure at a time.

Design with aloha. Build for longevity. Protect what sustains us.

Pic: Sebastien Goldberg

We're thrilled to share that the main residence of our Hawi Project ion the Big Island is finished and ready for its own...
06/04/2026

We're thrilled to share that the main residence of our Hawi Project ion the Big Island is finished and ready for its owners to call home.

This off-grid retreat in the rain-rich hills above Hawi was designed from the ground up around both the land's natural systems and the clients' lifestyle. The result is a home that lives lightly on its site: a 13.8 kW solar PV system, 20,000 gallons of rainwater storage, and on-site wastewater treatment ensure full self-sufficiency. Separate building pods are oriented for sweeping views and natural cross-ventilation, while deep overhangs and a covered southern walkway keep the interior comfortable year-round.

At the heart of the home is the kitchen pod, purpose-built for a professional chef, featuring a servery window with a framed view of Haleakalā across the channel. The structure blends wood posts, glulam beams, and steel framing, with tongue-and-groove decking serving double duty as the interior ceiling finish.

Beyond the home itself, the property is taking shape as something more: young fruit trees are establishing around the site, which will function as both a native forestry restoration area and a working farm supplying the owners' restaurants.

We're incredibly proud of how this project came together, and we can't wait to share more photos as the owners settle in.

And the next chapter is already underway, we've just broken ground on the ohana unit. More to come soon.

Big progress on our Anahola Mass Timber residence on Kauai. Our most recent site visit included a box walk with the clie...
06/02/2026

Big progress on our Anahola Mass Timber residence on Kauai. Our most recent site visit included a box walk with the client, dialing in the details like outlet placement, switches, speakers, and millwork.

The highlight? Walking Wing 2 for the first time. Since our last visit, the gym, office, and the Catrium (yes, a dedicated space for the lucky cats) hadn't even started the last time we were on site. Now it's fully framed.

Nearly all structural framing is now complete across the entire home, the full mass timber package is installed, and rough-ins for plumbing, electrical, mechanical, and fire suppression are next on deck.

History is being made in Lāhainā. In just three days, the walls and roof of Habitat for Humanity Mauiā€™s Bunkhouse went u...
06/02/2026

History is being made in Lāhainā. In just three days, the walls and roof of Habitat for Humanity Mauiā€™s Bunkhouse went up, and itā€™s no ordinary build. This is the first-ever mass timber home in Habitat for Humanityā€™s global history.

Built with prefabricated Veneer Laminated Timber walls and glue laminated timber roof panels, what might have taken weeks with traditional construction was standing in days. That speed isnā€™t just impressive, itā€™s a proof of concept for how communities can rebuild faster and smarter after disaster.

Maui Mayor Richard Bissen joined sponsors including Boise Cascade, the Carpenters Union, and many others on-site to celebrate this incredible milestone. Their support is helping build more than a bunkhouse, itā€™s helping build a new model for disaster recovery.

When complete in August 2026, the Bunkhouse will house volunteers coming to Lāhainā to help rebuild the community. More volunteers means more families moving closer to home.

Lāhainā has carried itself forward with extraordinary resilience. This build is proof of whatā€™s possible when innovation, generosity, and community spirit come together.

Mahalo to all of the businesses who are supporting this project: Hawaii Carpenters Apprenticeship & Training Fund, Boise Cascade, WoodWorks, Maui Plumbing, P.B. Sullivan Construction Inc, 808 Crane Rentals & Sales, Rockwool, VaproShield, HPM Building Supply, BowmanTermite & Pest Management, Sturdevant, Kapili Roofing & Painting, Blazy Construction Inc, HC&D, Hawaiian Cement, Lumos, Simpson Strong-Tie, Pacific Millworks, James Hardie, White Cap, Hawaii Off-Grid Architecture & Engineering





Honored to see our Kupono Hale project featured in What began as a conversation about climate change and resilience beca...
05/26/2026

Honored to see our Kupono Hale project featured in

What began as a conversation about climate change and resilience became a deep exploration into what architecture in Hawaiā€˜i can and should be moving towardā€”off-grid, climate responsive, resource conscious, and deeply connected to place.

Designed on the slopes of Haleakalā, Kupono Hale combines passive design principles, renewable energy systems, and locally sourced and upcycled materials to create a home that is completely off grid while remaining warm, simple, and rooted in Hawaiā€˜iā€™s vernacular. From recycled EPS insulation made from surfboard foam waste to locally milled Cook pine and a roof shaped by the path of the sun, every element was thoughtfully considered to reduce impact while enhancing the experience of living with the climate rather than against it.

Weā€™re grateful to Metropolis Magazine for sharing the story behind this project and to our incredible team, collaborators, and clients who believed in this vision from the beginning.

As David Sellers shared in the article: ā€œWhen you see a building, it should tell you a story. It should tell you about time, it should tell you about place, and it should tell you about climate.ā€

Tap link in bio to read more.
Photo:

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