Man with a Message

Though you probably don’t know who he is, Mark LaLiberte has almost certainly affected your life for the better. He’s spent nearly three decades trying to make your air better, reduce your carbon footprint and create more sustainable living practices, all while trying to save you money.

And he’s doing it where, for most families, it counts the most — at home.

“To most people, I’m just a pain in the ass,” said LaLiberte with all the charm and delight of a spunky beloved uncle. His positive attitude, however, is contagious.

As a building science consultant, he clocks 130,000-plus travel miles each year working with companies such as DuPont and Corning, and also with the wide gamut of companies and professionals within the building industry, including architects, manufacturers, builders and both private and government trade organizations. His travels will take him to Bend’s Northwest Green Building Industry Summit on Friday, Oct. 10 as the keynote speaker.

LaLiberte spent 45 years in Minnesota, where he raised his two sons and got his degree in solar engineering in 1984 in the city of Red Wing, just outside Minneapolis. He spent five years in Denver, three in Phoenix, and just last July, moved to Bend.

“Wherever I am — Japan, Minneapolis, Houston — whoever I’m talking to — builders, government, architects — the message is always the same,” said LaLiberte.

“There are five things we need to do to move the building industry in a more sustainable direction,” he said. “Homes need to be: 1) safer, 2) healthier, 3) more durable, 4) more energy efficient, 5) more affordable to operate and maintain. That’s where we need to go. That’s what we need to think about as we all move forward.”

He counts off his mantras on his fingers one by one.

“A lot of people rely on code,” said LaLiberte. “I hear people say all the time, ‘Well, my house is up to code, so it should be good enough.’ But code is the absolute lowest level of acceptability you can build to. All it does is uphold minimums. We want builders to build above code, that’s optimal.”

In a world where the conventional mindset is to trash the old and hunt for the next best thing on the market, LaLiberte is trying to change the zeitgeist to focus on creating something that lasts.

“People used to say ‘green’ a lot,” he said, “but we’re transitioning to ‘sustainability,’ and what that means is trying to be more respectful of the environment, to use (and) reuse when possible, to make sure there’s enough for me, and my children, and my children’s children.”

What LaLiberte is trying to do is engage both builders and buyers in a conversation of safety and longevity, one that is mutually beneficial.

“Mark brings building science concepts to light, showing how all aspects of building are interrelated,” said Gretchen Palmer of Palmer Homes. “His focus on the house as a system is enlightening to builders and designers creating high performance houses and buildings.”

“If we build sustainably, we build better,” continued LaLiberte. “We build for not just now but for 25, 50, 100 years from now. That’s better for all of us … People think that building better, building smarter has to cost more. But using smaller furnaces, better insulation, smaller air conditioners … if we take the right approach from the beginning, (and) have a good foundation, that’s better both now and in the long run.”

LaLiberte plans to build his own home here in town and is currently looking for the right lot for a sustainable bungalow.

“This town is such a great example of what’s possible,” he said. “NorthWest Crossing is the most successful development project in the country, and the reasons I like being in Bend is that the community here is interested in doing things well.”

In his travels, LaLiberte has been coming to Central Oregon on and off for 10 years, both professionally and for leisure.

“I love driving by Shevlin, going on a hike, walking the Deschutes, going to the microbreweries,” he said. “Who would have thought that we could support all these microbreweries? But this town is one that supports people who are dedicated to doing things well. People live here because they want to, they work hard to do so, and I feel very lucky to live here.”

Though he spends more than 200 days on the road each year, LaLiberte has already bought his season pass to Mt. Bachelor ski resort and is dedicated to improving his stand-up paddleboard and mountain biking skills.

“I’m really excited to get to come home to Bend when I’m not traveling,” he added, “but it’s about being open and passionate about life, open to learning wherever you’re at.”

Not only does LaLiberte travel regularly for work, he also visits his sons, Nathan & Alex.

“Nathan still lives in Minneapolis and is a Catholic priest, and Alex went to NYU (New York University) and is a musician in Brooklyn, New York … I love my sons immensely. My boys are a big part of my life.”

Mark recently finished a project wherein he helped Nathan build a new rectory for his church and regularly visits Alex in New York, where his favorite thing to do is to simply explore the city.

“It’s good for the soul,” he continued. “That’s the challenge and the joy between a musician and a Catholic priest. They remind me that both are important, spirituality and passion for life, and I’m not just talking about religion or God, but connectedness. Connectedness is what’s important, understanding how we’re all connected, understanding balance and respect.

“We’re such a great people, humankind, with capacity of love and kindness and good things. That’s why I love Bend so much. People here are remarkably excited about where they live. People love to be here and instead of being divided in our differences, we’re trying to embrace the possibility of what could be.”