Affordable Green Building with Hiroko Yamamoto

Hiroko Yamamoto is an Adjunct Assistant Professor in the College of Architecture at the University of Utah and runs the DesignBuildUTAH program. The program allows students from around the world to live in the Navajo Nation in Utah to design and build affordable homes using green build techniques. The homes are designed in accordance with Navajo culture and use local materials in a way that is cost effective and harmonious with the surrounding landscape.

On this episode, show host Neal Collins is joined by Hiroko and two of her students, Maja Tacchi and Tom Mckean. They join Neal from their construction site, where they have been building a home for months. They detail how they designed the home, which includes a greenhouse and water catchment system, and they discuss the importance of immersing themselves in the Navajo community and cultural practices. They also discuss how valuable this hands-on experience is and how it has inspired their hopes for their future.  To learn more about the program and to see photos of its homes visit its website . And to donate, reach out to Hiroko at [email protected].

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This podcast isn’t just about ideas—it’s about action. From these conversations, two organizations have emerged to bring regenerative real estate to life:

Latitude Regenerative Real Estate is the world’s first regenerative-focused real estate brokerage, dedicated to aligning values-driven buyers and sellers. With a strong presence in the Pacific Northwest and Great Lakes regions, Latitude also supports purpose-driven developments across North America through strategic marketing and branding services. If you're looking to buy, sell, or amplify a regenerative project, Latitude is your trusted partner.

Hamlet Capital is an investment and development firm committed to building resilient communities rooted in working farms. If you’re developing an agrihood or conservation community, we’d love to hear from you. Together, we can turn visionary ideas into thriving, place-based investments.