Karen Ramsey, Founder + CEO

Karen Ramsey brings over 20 years of experience in Colorado's construction industry, with a focus on preconstruction services, project planning, and construction management, all grounded in a strong commitment to green building practices. As Founder and CEO of Building Wellness, she leads the firm's growth and oversees its major client relationships and contracts, while its technical team delivers the day-to-day consulting work.

As both a Certified Passive House Tradesperson and an Ayurveda Health Counselor, Karen brings a unique perspective that blends building science with wellness. She's passionate about helping clients create low-carbon, cost-effective, and health-supportive spaces that contribute to both individual and community wellbeing.

Building Wellness works with clients in several ways. The firm provides Passive House consulting, energy modeling, owner's representation, and construction oversight for individual projects. As the exclusive US technical sales partner for EcoCocon, it also connects builders and architects with high-performance, low-carbon straw panel construction. And the firm partners directly with municipalities to bring pre-approved, high-performance home designs and workforce training to affordable housing programs.

Karen believes that truly great environments do more than perform well, they feel good to live and work in. Building Wellness builds spaces that are not only sustainable, but restorative, resilient, and deeply human.

Carrie Larsen, Designer + Project Manager

Carrie Larsen, CPHT, serves as Project Manager and Designer at Building Wellness, and is also the sole proprietor of August Design Studio, LLC. She brings over 20 years of architectural experience across numerous sectors of the built environment, from large-scale commercial construction project management, to international and national commercial interiors, natural and alternative building methods, regenerative design practices, and residential architectural and interior design all the way down to custom residential upholstery and decor.

Carrie is deeply passionate about creating simple, healthy homes that are in harmony with nature. She firmly believes that healthy and sustainable design does not have to come with an exorbitant price tag or involve discomfort. At Building Wellness, she thrives on collaboration with clients, providing them with the expertise and guidance necessary to transform their visions into reality in a way that withstands the test of time.

Carrie's hands-on job site experience has been invaluable in teaching her what it truly takes to transform a design concept into a built reality. Her time in interior design illuminated how we interact with spaces primarily from the inside, highlighting the importance of designing from the inside out. She understands that a home must not only look good but also function well for the inhabitants.

Emily Hamre, Project Coordinator

Emily Hamre serves as Project Coordinator at Building Wellness. A Colorado State University graduate with a degree in Ecosystems Science and Sustainability and a minor in Global Environmental Studies, Emily brings a strong foundation in environmental systems thinking to her work supporting the firm's growing portfolio.

At Building Wellness, Emily coordinates across grant and funding tracking, stakeholder and contact pipeline management, contractor research, and the development of impact language and outcomes reporting. Her background in sustainability science gives her a natural lens for connecting the firm's day-to-day project work to its broader environmental impact, helping ensure that every initiative is tracked, supported, and communicated clearly from the ground up.

Emily has a particular interest in bio-based materials and their role in shifting the built environment toward more regenerative practices. Her experience with Plant Futures has deepened her understanding of how plant-based innovation can address environmental challenges, an interest that aligns closely with Building Wellness's work bringing straw panel construction and other low-carbon materials to the US market.

Emily is passionate about the intersection of ecological systems and the built environment, and is committed to supporting Building Wellness's mission of creating low-carbon, healthy spaces for people and communities.

Portfolio

  • Artful Evolution

  • Innovative Sunset

  • Boulder Getaway

  • Highlands Retreat

My Approach

To me, building wellness means focusing on energy efficiency, designing for net-zero carbon, taking into account the embodied carbon of selected materials, incorporating locally sourced building materials, while designing a building envelope that is air tight and vapor resistant and incorporating fresh air exchange for maximum health of the building and its occupants.

Feasibility

A Passive House feasibility study is an essential step in determining whether a building project can effectively meet the Passive House standard, which is a rigorous, voluntary standard for energy efficiency in buildings. This study evaluates the technical, economic, and environmental considerations involved in constructing or retrofitting a building to meet Passive House criteria.

A PH Feasibility study includes PHPP energy modeling to simulate the building’s energy performance, building envelope evaluation which looks at the effectiveness of insulation, airtightness, and thermal bridge reduction, and mechanical systems assessment.

Cost Consulting

Accurate cost estimation can make or break a project. I ensure accurate cost estimating that considers the diverse materials and technologies needed to build a high performance home. My many years of experience estimating commercial and residential projects supports the passive house approach by ensuring the design stays on budget from inception to completion.

My open book approach allows my clients to see all direct costs by line item with a variable contingency and markup clearly noted. Oftentimes, conceptual budgets are within 5-10% of the final construction contract if major design changes aren’t incurred.