Founding Story
Working together on a Passive House townhouse retrofit project in Brooklyn, completed in 2011, it became apparent to the founders Ken Levenson (architect), Floris Keverling Buisman (building science consultant) and Sam McAfee (contractor) that the building supply marketplace was not adequately servicing such high performance construction projects. There was a disconnect of product selection and availability, and little knowledge of what matters to high-performance construction, by product suppliers. Yet the three knew the needed products and knowledge based service had existed in Europe for years. So with the renovation complete, they set off to address this service gap directly, across the American marketplace, with 475 High Performance Building Supply (475).
475 refers to the Passive House annual heat demand requirement: 4.75Kbtu/sfyr. 475 High Performance Building Supply is a division of Passive House Center Inc. (PHC), a company dedicated to transforming American construction to high comfort/low energy building guided by Passive House standards, and other up-to-date building science information. While the rigorous requirements of Passive House provide a clear guiding light, 475 believes all building projects, no matter how modest their goals, can be helped - moving all work incrementally toward higher performance.
475 is headquartered at 131 Union Street, Brooklyn, New York - and is currently building a nationwide sales force to ensure local, knowledge based solutions.
Floris Keverling Buisman,
CEO, Technical Director, CPHC, LEED AP
Floris attended Delft University of Technology, School of Architecture, The Netherlands. He worked on Mayor Bloomberg’s PlaNYC Green Code Task Force, and was an Urban Green chapter board representative-at-large for North East Corridor Regional Council and certified WUFI instructor. Floris is a Certified Passive House Consultant and a founding board member of New York Passive House. Floris is a adjunct professor at City College of New York and has been a guest critic at Pratt Institute and Columbia University.
Ken Levenson,
CFO, Sales Director, AIA, CPHD
Ken graduated from Pratt Institute in 1989 and has been a registered architect in New York State since 1993. Ken is a Certified Passive House Designer, a founding board member of the National Passive House Alliance and of New York Passive House. Ken regularly lectures on the Passive House standard.
Regional Sales Directors
Boston/New England
Oliver Klein, Sales, CPHC, LEED AP
Oliver graduated from Dartmouth College in 1993 with a Master of Science and then in 2008 from Boston Architectural College with a Master of Architecture. Oliver is a registered architect in Massachusetts, a Certified Passive House Consultant and a LEED Accredited Professional. Oliver brings to his sales work a deep concern for building science and sustainability.
Email: oliver@foursevenfive.com Phone: 800-995-6329x106
Chicago/Midwest
Mark Wille, Sales
Mark is a graduate from Carthage College with extensive experience in sustainable building products and construction.
Email: mark@foursevenfive.com Phone: 800-995-6329x107
