Clare Wolfe - Structural Designer

Clare's passion for natural materials and built environments led to a second career in engineering, for which she earned a BS in Civil Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and an MS in Civil Engineering from the University of Washington. She is an active member of the California Straw Building Association (CASBA) and the Natural Building Alliance, and loves a community work-party. Since joining Verdant in 2024, Clare has enthusiastically designed projects using straw bale, light straw clay, and the Verdant Panel (straw SIPs) as well as supported research for innovative new bio-based building materials. She is excited to expand her engineering repertoire of natural building systems and looks forward to a healthier, sustainable future where natural materials are mainstream technology.

Clare also has a BA in South Asian Languages and Civilizations with a minor in Human Rights from the University of Chicago. When she isn't working or talking about straw, Clare can be found traveling the world, making pottery, writing letters, tending the garden, reading a good book, and planning her next project.