Energy conservation is theme
of new green building
Home improvement center employs groundwater pumps
to meet
heating and cooling requirements
by Danielle Ulman
You've heard it said a million times - in business it's
all about location, location, location.
Sometimes business is also about bringing something new to a community.
 In a bid to change the dynamic of their business, brothers Chris and
Ethan Landis sought out a prime location to move their residential remodeling
company and put energy efficient construction into practice, in an environmentally
conscious neighborhood.
Their quest for a new setting brought them to Takoma, D.C., where they
have created what they hope will be a design destination for customers.
Chris Landis said he recognized that remodeling a home is a major decision,
and he wanted customers to have a place to go where their ideas could
be realized.
"Remodeling is one of the biggest buy decisions short of buying a house," he
said.
Landis said he hopes that customers will see what the company has done
with its green building technologies, and understand the possibilities
for their own homes.
The building houses a by-appointment home improvement center consisting
of professional firms engaged in residential architecture and construction,
interior design, landscape architecture, and electrical contracting.
Some of the key components to the Landis Building are the geothermal
heating and cooling system, renewable bamboo flooring, recycled carpets
and Icynene foam insulation.
"Our building is pretty green," Landis said. "We've done everything
we thought made economic or aesthetic sense for us."
Landis said there are many shades of "green" and conservation is the
key.
"If you can specify something that can save money for your client over
time, then it's worth it to go green," he said.
Green building tends to have more worth as time goes on, but the initial
investment will be more costly, Landis said. That's why his company
usually makes clients aware of the more environmentally economic options,
and then lets them choose how to proceed.
"The two things clients always want to know are: 'How much is it going
to cost and when can you start?' We try to be realistic, but you
can have anything from a plain vanilla envelope to a bathroom like the
Ritz," he said.
Green building is a long-term investment in the environment and the
community.
"This green thing has really caught on with manufacturers and suppliers," Landis
said.
"Overall, green building should have an impact, but if the world keeps
expanding exponentially, the way we have over the last 200 years, it's
unclear how big of an impact it will have."
Landis said one of the benefits of being in the remodeling business,
is that they do not tear everything down, and instead reuse materials
that previously existed within the home they are remodeling, thus reducing
the amount of waste.
Aiming to get the business out of their own homes - Ethan used his basement
as a workspace, while Chris worked out of his attic - the Landis brothers
just happened to stumble upon their current headquarters.
"It was serendipitous, really," Landis said. "We were just driving
around when we found the space. Where else are you going to get
property with a parking lot that's this close to everything?"
Their
office is located on a stretch of Blair Road between Piney
Branch Road and Cedar Street that Landis said he thought
needed some beautifying. Part
of the piece of land they purchased was once a used car lot.
"The neighborhood wasn't very happy about that," he said. "We
wanted to get rid of some of the blight in the neighborhood."
In doing so, the Landis Building has also attempted to stay in keeping
with the feel of Historic Takoma Park District, which sits immediately
adjacent to the building.
The Landis Construction Corporation now resides on the third floor of
the newly minted Landis Building. Other tenants are already in
place, to provide customers with that full-service design experience,
including The Landscape Group, the International Brotherhood of Electrical
Workers Local 26 and Triratna, a Web design firm.
Landis said his by-appointment company employs about 40 people, and
is currently open to the public.
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