Atmosphere Design Build is founded on an impassioned desire to design authentic structures that are built in a conscientious and ecological manner. That has translated into our specific focus on designing and constructing high performance buildings. High performance homes are healthy, comfortable, and they significantly reduce long term energy use. We believe that great design and super energy efficient, high performing buildings, are inherently complementary. And our goal is to manifest this belief in buildings that are beautifully crafted, functional, efficient and inspiring to live in.

As a design and build firm we take a holistic approach to the process of creating structures and we work in a collaborative manner with all the stake holders throughout the design and construction phase.  The design/build model provides continuity, eliminates gaps in communication and responsibility- we are accountable from start to finish. This method of designing and building provides the client with a comprehensive and integrated service. It is also a model that begins with a belief in relationships and collaboration. Our relationship with the client takes primacy throughout the entire process and we acknowledge how weighty it is to be entrusted with shepherding a dream into reality.

In our business we recognize that we are stewards of our clients’ built environment as well as their financial resources – this always remains an essential tenant even as we pursue being stewards of the greater environment.

How you build and who builds it for you does matter. We have been at the forefront of the high performance building movement for a decade and back our philosophies with expertise and experience. Atmosphere Design Build has consultancy or accreditation with the Passive House Institute US (PHIUS), LEED, and Build-It-Green.

Mela Breen: Founder + Principal Designer

Mela is the creative director and the principal designer at Atmosphere Design Build. She is dedicated to design excellence, which includes a collaborative design process and engaging relationship with the client, as well as a deep commitment to creating beautiful buildings that function well.  She believes energy efficiency is integral to the beauty of a building and that efficiency can be achieved without sacrificing aesthetic quality. She thinks Wabi-Sabi has something going on – and that the straight lines of modern architecture are enhanced by the touch of human hands. She has worn a tool belt on numerous construction projects and that experience informs her design decisions. Mela is the mother of two boys and has learned a lot about durable surfaces from them! She studied literature at Reed College, and then went on to pursue Architecture at the University of Colorado. She is well versed in Passive House and is a LEED AP. In her youth, Mela was a wildland fire fighter and passionate whitewater kayaker. Today, she enjoys following her sons down mountain bike trails, backcountry skiing with her partner and husband Dave Good, and solitary trail runs.

David Good: Founder + Builder, Certified Passive House Consultant

Dave is a general contractor and runs the construction services at Atmosphere Design Build. He is an inventor by heart – always looking for ways best to build. He is a well-rounded and seasoned craftsman with experience in all phases of construction including a broad knowledge of mechanical systems, materials, and building science. He is deeply committed to creating high performance buildings and he maintains a rigorous level craftsmanship on his projects to achieve these goals. He is a problem solver, who seeks out emerging technologies alongside ancient ones. When he isn’t managing building projects or caring for his sons, you can find him late at night making handmade skis in his shop. Dave holds a Bachelors of Science in Geological Engineering, minor in Environmental Science, from the Colorado School of Mines. He is one of only a handful of builders, in California, that is a Certified Passive House Consultant. He is also a Build It Green, Certified Green Building Professional.

Jeffrey Adams: Architect

Jeff grew up in the Sonoran Desert of southern Arizona where he acquired a deeply rooted appreciation for the interplay of light, color, texture, and space. His first summer job was at an architecture firm in Tucson, Line and Space, where he started out painting window trim on the office and eventually learned how to draw study sketches and build topographic site models. Jeff received a broad education in engineering, architecture and the humanities, first at Princeton University (B.S.E.) and then at UCLA (M. Arch.). While working for Johnston Marklee & Associates in Los Angeles, he was the project manager for an award-winning residence. Since moving to Nevada County in 2005, Jeff has immersed himself in "place," becoming profoundly connected to the Yuba River watershed and surrounding community. Jeff is a father to a young child and an emerging adult, and husband to a midwife. In his spare time, he cooks a mean meal, grows a garden, dedicates time to his community, and hikes in the woods. Jeff joined Atmosphere Design Build in 2015 and is a project architect with a deep commitment to sustainability. He is licensed to practice architecture in the state of California.

Erin Humphrey: Architect

Erin grew up in Mammoth Lakes, CA but has called Nevada City home since 2005. Her appreciation for buildings and how things are put together started at a young age helping her contractor-father on his job site’s. Erin cares about materials, occupancy comfort, and energy use, understanding that a building has a large impact on our environmental health. Before joining Atmosphere Design Build, Erin worked as an estimator, a multi-family residential designer, and most recently as a waterproofing consultant (overseeing the re-roofing and waterproofing of Frank Lloyd Wright’s Marin Center). She enjoys the construction process and the problem-solving that comes with bringing ideas to fruition in the built world. Erin graduated from the University of Oregon in 2012 with a Bachelor of Architecture degree and is a licensed Architect in the state of California. In her spare time, Erin likes to mountain bike, ski, cook and enjoy the outdoors.

Our Construction Crew:

We have a dedicated, caring, knowledgeable crew of carpenters that understand the importance of air barriers, thermal bridging, and high-performance detailing from foundation to completion.