Francisco Ordenes, EIT - Structural Designer

Francisco, originally from Chile, developed his passion for engineering and residential projects after studying Civil Engineering at the Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Valparaiso and helping his father remodel his childhood home. Before moving to the US, he worked as a Teaching Assistant for seismic engineering courses and inspecting structures damaged by high-intensity earthquakes.

Now at Verdant, Francisco focuses on structural design using alternative and sustainable building materials. His project experience includes single-family homes, often utilizing wood and straw bales. Notably, he engineered solutions for a house in Ocotillo, Yucca Valley, by adapting to local material availability. He also designed the structural elements for a prototype case study for Alameda County, the “East Bay Carbon Storing Building,” where his multiple design iterations helped identify strategies to store and reduce the building's carbon emissions. His current work involves the engineering of earthen buildings, with a particular focus on analyzing how adobe structures perform in regions prone to high seismic activity.

In his free time, Francisco enjoys the outdoors, including hiking, kayaking, and fishing around the Bay Area with his wife, young daughter, and dog.