The World in Reach

Tampa Bay Buccaneers coach Greg Shiano embodied the essence of this quote yesterday when he drafted Eric LeGrand. Shiano had coached LeGrand at Rutgers, where LeGrand’s promising football career was ended prematurely in 2010 during game in which he suffered a serious spinal cord injury that left him paralyzed.

Shiano stated that he drafted LeGrand to “recognize his character, spirit, and perseverance”, and to showcase the qualities that he is looking for in “Buccaneer Men.” Despite the fact that LeGrand will never play for the Buccaneers, Shiano fulfilled LeGrand’s dream of becoming part of the NFL while simultaneously reminding the rest of us that thoughtful decisions can lead to remarkable transformation.

As I ponder our ability to affect positive change in the world around us, the circuitous journey of my mind conjures images of the true heroes of our industry. From green building pioneers John Wesley Miller (builder of the Biosphere) and Colorado developer John Kurowski, to visionary influencers like Green Builder Media’s own President Ron Jones, to market transformers like CR Herro (VP Environmental Affairs, Meritage Homes) and Jacob Attalla (Senior Director of Sustainability Initiatives at KB Home), there are countless numbers of individuals dedicated to the sustainability revolution.

I am encouraged.

Robert Kleiman, Co-Founder of Structure Home, builder of Green Builder Media’s VISION House Los Angeles, understands what it means to leverage our work to consciously alter the world around us. He says that “making meaningful change to old paradigms is necessary to preserve the health and well-being of our people and our planet. The VISION House Los Angeles is an effort that represents, encourages and fosters such change. If we embrace this change and allow our creative spirit to flourish, then the future will be very promising indeed.”

And Robert is right. Last week, I had the pleasure of visiting the VISION House LA as it crosses the threshold into the last phases of construction. Upon entering the stunning Californian contemporary home with its sleek lines and perfectly blended natural elements, I was not only taken by its beautiful design and advanced green products, I was embraced by something much more subtle—an undeniable sense of balance, peace, and place. This home has a powerful visceral affect that makes a visitor want to stay for a long time, wrapped in the comfort of the home’s tranquility.

The VISION House LA is one of a plethora of green homes across the country that is infusing its finishes with intention, its building envelope with compassion, and its intelligent systems with consciousness with the goal of making the dream of a sustainable, self-actualized life real for a future homeowner.

We’re not just building homes, we’re improving lives. How do you stretch yourself to mend the part of the world that is in your reach?

We invite you to join us at the launch of the VISION House Los Angeles on June 10, 2012 from 11am to 5pm. For more information about the project or debut event, visit http://www.greenbuildermag.com/VISION-HOUSE/VISION-House-Los-Angeles, write to me at sara@greenbuildermag.com, follow me on Twitter @SaraGBM.

A sincere thank you to our generous sponsors including Trex, JM, Kohler, Kitchen Craft Cabinetry, Schluter Systems, Leviton, Uponor, Noritz, Honda, Trane, Schlage, Boise Cascade, DuChateau Floors, Custom-Bilt Metals, Kichler Lighting, Gaggenau, DuPont, Beam, Orenco, Whirlpool, Mythic Paint, Bentley Prince Street, GreenRock, and EnergyStar for helping to make the VISION House LA a blissful reality.
 

Watch the evolution of our VISION House Series on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/GreenBuilderMedia and Twitter (@GreenBuilderMag and @VISIONHouseGBM).

For more information about green building and sustainable living, visit www.greenbuildermag.com, like us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter @greenbuildermag for regular updates and breaking news.