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Eco-advocate seeks savings
While some builders tout recycled glass and hip, bamboo floors for eco-appeal, Jennifer Languell is more likely to suggest incandescent bulbs or better insulation.
The founder and president of Trifecta Construction Solutions in Fort Myers looks past the stylish elements of sustainable construction and straight to the savings - savings to the grid and the pocketbook.
"The reclaimed wood and glass tile is great, but that's not giving you a payback and that's why so many people think it costs more to be green," said Languell, who the National Association of Home Builders recently named its Green Advocate of the Year, making her the first person to win the award twice.
Bamboo flooring, for example, mostly is made in China, which means it has to be shipped to the U.S. There's nothing sexy about incandescent bulbs or a high-efficiency air conditioners, Languell said, but those energy-saving products - along with smart architectural plans - are what make a structure truly sustainable.
"We went from eye-candy-type materials to eye-candy renewable energy and we forgot about good design," said Languell, who serves as a technical adviser for and appears on the Discovery Channel TV series "Project Earth."
"If we're just slapping PVs (photovoltaic panels) on a bad building, it's not actually the right thing to do," she said.
Green advocate
Languell - who received her Ph.D. in civil engineering with a specialization in sustainable construction from the University of Florida and also taught at UF - spoke last year at more than 150 sustainability workshops and events across the nation.
She's a past president of the Florida Green Building Coalition, and served on its board for nine of the 11 years it has been in existence. Because of maxed-out term limits, she now serves on committees for the coalition.
"She's very knowledgeable and her company is responsive," said Mark DiSabato, managing partner at Cordoba Development in Naples.
DiSabato worked with Languell on the 50-home development Cordoba at Lely Resort. Trifecta helped the community incorporate energy-saving insulation, lighting, appliances and other components to achieve FGBC certification, as well as Energy Star and Florida Build Smart approval. The sustainable aspects of Cordoba homes appeal to today's buyers, DiSibato said.
"They understand the designations and they understand that we put additional time and additional expense into the homes," he said. "They understand there's a savings on their utility bills moving forward. They feel it improves the resale value of the homes."
Increasing sustainability
Trifecta partnered with Poinciana Royale, a low-income Key West apartment complex for people living with HIV and AIDS that welcomed its first residents in May. Languell served as a sustainability expert for the $13.6 million project, and helped it achieve FGBC platinum certification.
Poinciana Royale was constructed with energy-efficient insulation and lighting, programmable thermostats, about 10,000 square feet of photovoltaic array and Energy Star appliances. As a result, electric bills for those who live at the complex should average less than $40 per month, Languell estimated.
Although construction has slowed, more buildings are qualifying for green certification. The FGBC has certified close to 600 structures so far this year - which is about how many certifications were awarded any full year during the boom, Languell said.
Projects such as Poinciana Royale point to the spread of sustainable construction to nonprofits and businesses. Environmentally sound features are no longer just for high-end homes.
"We're starting to see the business world embrace sustainability - not so much from that whole tree-hugging, well-kissing environmental side, but from a sustainability of the longevity of their company," Languell said.