Over the years, the term development has evolved to mean far more than just the addition of cookie –cutter compounds and skyscrapers. As the world becomes more attentive to the environmental impacts of building, sustainability and efficiency initiatives emerge as priorities for the industry’s future. For business owners Jesse Ware and Craig Briggs, the future of sustainable building is simply called, Futuro. In 2011, industry veterans Briggs and Ware combined their years of experience and unwavering commitment to sustainability to launch Futuro Builders. From commercial projects to residential homes, Futuro Builders is a building firm that doesn’t promote environmental sustainability as the future, but rather as the standard. Co-founder, Jesse Ware, is honest about the green direction of Futuro Builders. “We approach our work the way we do for many reasons. The biggest reason, though, is we believe in it. It is at the core of our values,” Ware said. “For both Craig and I, creating something that is healthier, more efficient, and has less impact on the Earth is always going to be the right thing to do.” There is little to disprove that Futuro Builders streamlines the industry in sustainable development, if not only by approach but by execution, as well. Futuro’s newest project, the Brackett Estates in Wells, Maine, is exactly the type of cutting-edge development that demonstrates how green living is cost efficient, too. Distinguished as Net Zero housing, the 26-unit Brackett Estates are engineered to offset the amount of energy consumed in the through interior design, extensive insulation, and intuitive mechanical systems. Grid-tied solar panels harness renewable energy to heat, cool and power the units while cellulose-derived insulation maintains efficacy in both energy demands and energy costs. “The houses at Brackett Estates are more than just green homes, they are also the healthier, more cost-effective solution to sustainable living,” Ware said. “Healthy living is an important part of our approach to building and we find it integrates well with energy efficiency. I think this is the way we are going to see buildings designed as a standard in the next ten years.” The Brackett Estates showcase the many advantages of integrating health and ecological standards. Through strategic design and research, the homes at Brackett Estates are built with only the safest materials, free of toxins and harmful chemicals, and contain air exchange systems that provide constant circulation of fresh air. As Ware observed, healthier building strategies are complimented well by sustainability standards, both require careful planning and selection to maximize efficiency and safety. The green values that founded Futuro Builders also inspired the decision to join the Green Alliance, an organization dedicated to growing green businesses throughout New England through consumer discounts and advantageous marketing. The partnership with the Green Alliance echoes Futuro’s mission to bring healthy, environmentally accountable building projects to advance sustainability throughout the Seacoast. As a Partnering Business of the Green Alliance, Futuro offers Green Cardholders an unbeatable offer with the purchase of the Net Zero Brackett Homes model home, awarding a free Toyota Prius to compliment a green lifestyle. Joining over 100 environmentally-responsible businesses in the Green Alliance, Futuro’s commitment to green building continues to enhance each commercial and residential project. Futuro Builders would be the first to say their approach is just a matter of responsible consideration, with the understanding that homes should protect families from harm – not incur it. “We build with the intention to sustain a prosperous future for our environment and for our community,” Ware said. “Building green, healthy homes is essential to the future—in every sense of the word.”
Tricia Dinkel is the community & member manager for The Green Alliance, Portsmouth, NH.