Opus Vitae Construction
At Opus Vitae Construction, we build legacy homes—homes that unite architectural excellence, building science, and building biology in service of long-term human wellbeing. Based in Portland, Oregon, our work integrates resilient assemblies, balanced ventilation, thoughtful material selection, and durable construction into homes designed to support healthier living, lasting comfort, and enduring performance over a lifetime.
About
Opus Vitae translates roughly to 'our life's work' — and that's the unusual conviction Paul Coppock and Kevin Rosa brought to the table when they founded the company in June 2021. Paul came from a carpenter's bench by way of a Master of Divinity from Princeton; Kevin came from years as a project manager at Olson & Jones, with the kind of curiosity about building science that earned him the self-applied label 'building science nerd' and a Phius Certified Builder credential.
The company they built sits at an unusual intersection: a Portland general contractor that is both Phius-certified and listed on the Building Biology Institute's Find an Expert directory. They take on a deliberately limited number of new homes and concierge-grade renovations each year, partner closely with architects and interior designers (they are explicit that they are not a design-build firm), and lean heavily on a long pre-construction phase to get the design, the budget, and the building science right before a hammer ever swings.
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Key Features
Opus Vitae is the kind of small Portland builder that punches above its volume: Phius and Building Biology in the same firm, a long pre-construction process that gets pricing and performance right before construction begins, and a portfolio that ranges from concierge condo expansions to ground-up legacy homes in the Cornelius farmland.
10
Vitadurra Standard Principles
Phius + BBI
Dual Certification
OR + WA
Phius Service Area
Top 11%
BuildZoom Score (OR Contractors)
Why Choose Us
Most builders pick a lane: production, custom, healthy, or high-performance. Opus Vitae is one of the rare Portland-area firms that holds both Phius and Building Biology credentials and refuses to treat 'healthy' as a finish package bolted onto a conventional wall. The Vitadurra Standard is their internal name for that conviction — a ten-point framework that lives in every project, from a basement remodel to a ground-up custom home.
Phius + Building Biology, Held Together
Opus Vitae appears on the Phius 'Find a Professional' directory as a Certified Builder (CPHB) for Oregon and Washington and on the Building Biology Institute's directory since June 2022. That overlap — Passive House performance plus a Building Biology lens on materials and indoor environment — is rare in residential construction.
The Vitadurra Standard
Their proprietary framework for legacy-grade homes: continuous insulation, reduced thermal bridging, airtight envelope, HRV/ERV ventilation with greater than 90 percent heat recovery, moisture management at every layer, low-toxin materials that age gracefully, and architecture proportioned to outlast trends. It is the spine that runs through every Opus Vitae project.
Pre-Construction Is the Product
Opus Vitae does not bid blind. Clients sign a Pre-construction Services Agreement that brings the builder into the design phase as a constructability and pricing partner — including a full engineering study for Passive House projects. By the time construction begins, the surprises have been engineered out.
A Limited Number of Projects Each Year
Their portfolio page says it directly: they build a small number of projects so they can stay involved from early design through completion. The team is six to fifteen people. The CCB record (236931) shows roughly thirteen permitted projects across four years — a deliberate volume, not a bottleneck.
Relationships First — and It Shows
Trade partners and design professionals show up in the testimonials as often as homeowners do. Paul's background in theology shapes the ethos: 'Construction is our venue. Relationships with people is the reward.' Subs talk about how OVC orchestrates a job. Architects talk about communication. Clients talk about the year of post-project support that comes standard.
Services List
New Construction
- Phius (Passive House) New Homes
- Vitadurra Standard Legacy Homes
- Custom Homes — Architect-Led
- Build a Keet Partner Program
- Engineering Study & Energy Modeling
- Air Sealing & Envelope Detailing
Renovations & Pre-Construction
- Concierge Whole-Home Remodels
- Additions & Seamless Expansions
- Basement Construction & Conversion
- Tear-Down and Rebuild
- Pre-Construction Services Agreement (PSA)
- Constructability & Trade Walk Pricing
- 1-Year Post-Project Support (No-Cost Settling)
Paul Coppock
Co-Founder — Business Development & Production Oversight
Contact Information
Visit WebsiteService Area
Based In
Portland, OR
Markets Served
Coverage
Primary service area is the Portland metro plus roughly two hours in any direction — including West Linn, Lake Oswego, Beaverton, Tigard, and rural projects out to Cornelius, OR. Phius Certified Builder service area covers Oregon and Washington.
Credentials
Phius Certified Builder (CPHB)
Certified Passive House builder via the Phius standard. Listed in the Phius 'Find a Professional' directory for Oregon and Washington.
Building Biology Institute — Architect/Builder
Listed on the Building Biology Institute's Find an Expert directory since June 2022.
Oregon CCB License #236931
Oregon Construction Contractors Board, active license. BuildZoom score 102 (top 11 percent of 62,733 Oregon licensed contractors).
Build a Keet — Featured GC Partner
Featured general contractor partner on the Build a Keet design/prefab program (August 2024).
Platinum Member
Healthy Building Alliance
Professional ·