STRAW & TIMBER CRAFTSMEN INC 

To build high quality, beautiful and appropriate homes for a sustainable future, an affordable price and satisfied customers. To promote, educate and grow with the next generation of building and builders.

Guiding Principles

Build responsibly

Build with healthy materials for the, people, planet and Craftsmen

Build with conscious choices

Train and support the next generation of builders

To be a leader and example in the green building movement

To remain flexible and willing to grow

To build traditional homes, with traditional materials in a currently, nontraditional way.

 Goal:

advocating health and sustainability through the use of Natural, local materials , passive solar design and to achieve an affordable comfortable, healthy, efficient, long lasting, and maintainable home. 

  

SERVICES:

Design Build
Passive solar, high performance Straw bale homes and

Energy efficient  and green building strategies
for traditional frame homes

Consultation
Straw bale, plaster, passive solar, energy efficiency,  green building strategies,

education, Energy Star, project management

Straw bale homes

Build High performance low/zero energy homes

Healthy homes

Encourage local material options

Natural Building

Adobe

Natural plasters- clay and lime, american clay  

Existing homes

Remodels-natural, green products

Weatherization

Energy Retrofits

Energy Audits  

We will help you  achieve your dreams, design and life syle needs in your home. We are trained, capable and experienced to design and build the most energy efficient houses for our climate. No other building style can achieve a super energy efficient, high performance, low impact, all natural, healthy home at the cost that we can! All these principles being equal your Straw bale home is the most affordable and Straw and Timber Craftsmen is your premier builder to get you there. 

Living simply and choosing naturally will lead us to greater joy, better health and sustainable communities.

History
Straw and Timber Craftsmen INC was formed in 2007 as a result of a need in our community for a voice and service provider for natural building and out of the passion for the deep ecology and spirituality linked in our homes.

Dusty Szymanski
Carpenter and Builder:
Straw & Timber Craftsmen INC Founder and president, HERS Rater, LEED AP. He began his professional building career in 1988 and has pursued and trained in all aspects of construction.  Previously operating under Dusty Szymanski Carpentry for more than a decade, He focused on remodels and green building. Dusty was co owner and co founder in a local home building company in the late 90's, building log, timber frame and traditional homes and cabins. Project manager and instructor for Train the Trainers Program demonstration house, The SGU Buffalo House.
Certified HERS Rater and Energy Star Homes partner and Qualifier. Many local and state certifications with Govenors Energy Office. American Clay Applicator.

Teacher:
National Outdoor Leadership School Instructor
Wilderness Medicine Institute Instructor and Instructor Trainer
Wilderness Medicine training in Nepal and India 
Denali Pro Pin 2000- Volunteer with Denali Climbing Ranger Patrol
Staff Trainings for various outdoor schools and programs
Instructor for Greenweaver INC
SAFE Home Initiative- Instructor for 'Train the Trainers' program
         Sinte Gleska University, Rosebud Reservation, Mission SD
Sustainability and Natural building classes- Western State College

Activist
Gunnsion Planning and Zoning Commissioner
Gunnison Energy Action Plan- l founding team member, design, writer
Habitat for Humanity- board member
Energy Action Advisory committee
Gunnison Housing Foundation advisory board
Founder Gunnison Green Guild