Charlotte Urban Home Magazine

Willis Spivey of Spivey Homes has been building high-end custom homes for more than 30 years. For the past 15 years, he's focused on building with energy efficient, clean air systems to reduce mold, mildew and other contaminants, improving the quality of indoor air.

Willis explains that sealing off attic spaces and crawl spaces with Icynene® foam insulation gives the home a moisture barrier that keeps the air coming inside the home cleaner, cuts the size of the heating and air unit by a third, and reduces monthly power bills.

Now a member of the American Lung Association, Spivey Construction, Inc. is a leader in using the ALA Health House Program guidelines for all its building projects.

"Energy efficiency is a buzzword in building these days," says Spivey. "But I have always been concerned with energy efficiency and conservation. The hardest part of my job is removing a tree."
Interior designer Tracie Johnson works with Willis on many of the homes Spivey Homes builds. She shares his concern for the environment and indoor air quality, especially since her son suffers from severe allergies. So it was only natural that the two should work together, along with home designer Jennifer Pippin, to design and build Tracie's new home.
"Spivey Homes worked through the NC Healthy Built Home Program to build my new house as a certified green home," says Johnson. "We included lots of green features, from natural stone countertops to water based sealant for the hardwoods, formaldehyde free cabinetry, low VOC paints, stained concrete floors in the basement and recycled glass tiles and paper stone countertops in the master bath. All the hot water in the house is heated by solar panels. And of course we have a pure air system that controls the quality of the indoor air."
"Not everyone wants to go totally green," explains Spivey. "Whenever there is no additional cost to the homeowner, we use green practices as our standard. Beyond that, we educate them on their options, so they can make informed decisions about green building during the process."
Spivey Homes now uses Johnson's certified green home as an example to help homeowners see and understand what green construction looks like.
"Willis builds a beautiful home," says Johnson. "He emphasizes details and structural quality. When architects and designers walk though my home now they notice the difference. They tell me it is obvious that he builds a quality, sound home. The fact that it is green makes it all the better."

Reasons to Build Green
• Environmentally effective use of building materials
• Lower electric and water utility costs
• Enhanced physical and emotional health
• Increased productivity
• Long-term economic returns
• Reduced environmental impact

Learn more about green building and Spivey Homes at www.spiveyinc.com
or call 704-663-4189 for more information.