The EcoBuilders’ Passion: Building Green

By Byron Belzak

Rob Moody has a passion for the environment, Asheville, and home building. In three short years this environmental science high school teacher turned builder has won local and statewide acclaim for green building practices.

In 2003, Moody, a Haywood County native, founded The EcoBuilders, Inc. That same year his firm built the State’s first certified HealthyBuilt home, which is located in Black Mountain. Not a bad start, either, for it was the first house his firm ever built.

“I did some green building projects when I was teaching, and have gotten more into,” Moody told The Greener Home in an exclusive interview. “My grandfather gave me a little tool set when I was eight years old. It had a huge impact on me. And I still have it.”

CRAGMONT

Moody explained that NC HealthyBuilt designation is part of a certification program created by North Carolina State University designed to encourage green building practices. Photos of his first HealthyBuilt home and others can be found online at www.theecobuilders.com. Known as Cragmont, this custom home is a Rob Moody original design, although he confesses, “It’s probably the only house I’ll ever design, because I had the time.”

Since his first NC HealthyBuilt home, Moody, along with his team of environmentally conscious workers, have been keeping busy and keep getting noticed. “Life couldn’t be better,” he said. “We just won a Griffin Award for a home we did in Montford.” The brightly colored custom home, called Hluleka, can also be found online in the company’s portfolio. “It’s bright with pinks and orange. That’s the way the customer wanted it.”

HLULEKA

He said that his Asheville-base firm specializes in high performance green building practices, and that he prefers new, infill, residential construction. Moody takes great pride in quality construction, being sensitive to the environment, and customer satisfaction.

“We build affordable, aesthetically pleasing, efficient homes for our clients,” he said. He credits all the members of his firm, some whom have lived at Earthaven, a well-known eco-friendly community, as committed to building homes that are energy efficient, use recycled products, and offer indoor air quality.

The EcoBuilders’ website – www.theecobuilders.com – is specific about the work it does. Its homes are usually in the $100-$200 per square foot range and are considered to fit within the traditional construction market. EcoBuilders builds high performance homes, not straw bale or recycled tire homes. It does both new construction and renovations in the Asheville area. Some projects are custom while others are spec homes.

Moody said that green building to him means following the four “R’s”: reduce, reuse, recycle, and renewables. His firm is also an Energy Star Partner, which means it builds homes that meet stringent energy efficient qualifications that are verified by a third-party. “It’s about peace of mind, too,” said Moody, “and doing what’s good for the environment.”

Copyright 2006 MediaBear

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