Eco-friendly products line the grocery shelves and planet-saving sentiments permeate our language. But how much of this green thinking actually morphs into serious effort? David James, owner and founder of Create and Construct Scottsdale, weighs in on what it means to put environmental awareness into action.
“In our industry, developing more ‘green’ solutions for building is often talked about, yet not necessarily acted upon,” says David. “So, Create and Construct has committed to making 2019 the year that we consistently provide our clients – and our community – with solid, sustainable options for home and landscape renovations.”
To solidify their dedication, David and his wife Victoria (an internationally known abstract artist and the creative vision behind C&C) have begun working closely with Dorie Morales of Green Living AZ magazine to promote more conscious living options. They also have plans to join forces with other like-minded builders and design professionals.
“We will be partnering with several industry pros who have high quality, easily implementable options to reduce energy consumption and waste while remodeling,” says Victoria. “Ultimately, this will result in homes that are not only beautiful, but kind to the environment, as well.”
Sustainable building takes into account the use of energy and natural resources, and the impact on both the environment and the safety of humans and animals. Instead of mining, extracting and milling new components, researchers are now creating concrete that includes ground up recycled plastics and trash. This reduces gas emissions and provides a new use for landfill-clogging plastic waste. Bamboo is also a very promising material for modern buildings, due to its combination of tensile strength, light weight and fast-growing renewable nature.
Paint is another home component with the potential for high toxicity. Most paints contain volatile organic compounds (VOCs) such as formaldehyde and benzene, which damage the ozone layer and can cause respiratory problems.
“We’ve really been doing our homework when it comes to investigating safer paint varieties,” says David. “And we’ve been quite pleased to see that there are a growing number of organic options that are vegetable, clay or mineral-based. And they’re not only non-toxic, they look fantastic and are long-wearing, as well.”
Producing sustainable landscaping is another major focus for C&C in the coming year. “It’s entirely possible to achieve a beautiful landscape without using massive amounts of water, which is not only wasteful but creates runoff which harms wildlife and the environment,” says David. “We work with our clients to choose drought-tolerant plants and materials that require much less maintenance and watering.”
Swimming pools are also being designed that are healthy for both the ecosystem and swimmers. Plants and stone or sand are used to purify the water rather than chlorine, emulating the natural filtration that takes place in rivers.
“We’re excited to be actively joining the movement to improve the state of our planet,” says David. “It’s our goal to not only elevate our business, but to also inspire other builders to take on this challenge for themselves.”
Learn more about Create & Construct at candcscottsdale.com.
