Locations
Atmosphere Design Build
Founder + Principal Designer
Key Contacts
Owners, Principals & Senior Executives
David Good's Bio
Dave 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.
Mela Breen's Bio
Mela is headmistress of all things design 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 young 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.
Other
Erin Humphrey's Bio
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.
Jeffrey Adams's Bio
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.