PATRICK MCDONALD

Patrick McDonald is a Philadelphia native, a partner of Onion Flats LLC, an operating engineer, mechanical contractor, registered master plumber, licensed solar PV installer, and certified residential and commercial Green Advantage instructor. In 1997, his brother, Tim, and he started Onion Flats, a design/build/development firm. Pat has steered the organization and mission towards fundamentally sustainable modes of thinking, building, and dwelling. Pat’s responsibilities within Onion Flats include design and implementation of sustainable systems, and construction management.

In 2005, Pat, Tim, brother Johnny, and longtime friend Howard Steinberg created a joint venture to develop all future projects. The new partners also formed Jig, Inc, a general contracting and construction management company, as well as Plumbob LLC, a licensed AIA architectural firm, allowing this team to provide full design-build services for both clients and their own developments.

Their first sustainable development, Rag Flats, in Fishtown, consists of 11 residential spaces that incorporate solar PV, green roofs, rainwater recycling, passive solar design, and Energy Star rated appliances and mechanical systems. Rag Flats has gained the firm international attention in the architecture and construction communities.

The Onion Flats team completed the first LEED for Homes Gold Certified residences in the City of Philadelphia, and recently, the first LEED for Homes Platinum duplex project in the nation, Thin Flats. Onion Flats’ mission is simple: build better homes, to the highest environmentally sustainable standards, and deliver them to the market at a price comparable to a conventional home.