Green Building Supply: Your Eco-Friendly Home Center
Building ProductsPublished August 25, 2011 at 7:48 pm No Comments
Anyone who has ever tackled a home improvement or building project knows that many materials and supplies are available to consumers from hardware and home improvement stores. However, fewer options are available to people who want to buy safe, eco-friendly materials. Sometimes trying to locate, research or budget for these materials can be frustrating and may leave you with many questions. What does the label really mean? How and where is this product made? And, for many, the question that is at the top of the list: Why is it so expensive? Unfortunately, many stores don’t have the experience with these products or in depth knowledge to answer questions.
If you’ve ever felt the frustration of trying to locate and purchase supplies for your green building project through popular stores, or if you have a project in the early stages and would like it to be green but have lots of questions, Green Building Supply hopes to put your mind at ease. In fact, Green Building Supply, an Iowa-based home supply store, has everything the eco-conscious buyer could possibly need, either at their physical store, or–for those not planning to travel to Iowa–online through their user-friendly website. In fact, you receive the same careful, attentive customer service online as you would if you walked into their store. How many “big-box” stores can say the same?
Truthfully, many stores do offer several types of green materials and supplies, if you know what you are looking for and are willing to spend more to get them. This is where Green Building Supply sets itself apart from the rest by going beyond simply offering products. When you buy from GBS you are also given the knowledge of exactly what goes into your product and how to fits it into your home design or project needs. You can even use the Recycle & Reuse Center to list unwanted or unused building materials after your project is complete so that they don’t end up in the landfill. Also, customers can purchase from GBS knowing everything sold has been researched, tested or personally used by Green Building Supply’s owners. This particular philosophy came from their personal journey in green building and the vision they had of using materials that were eco-friendly, natural and healthy to use and live with. At the time, it wasn’t easy…
In the late 1980’s, when owners Joy and Joel Hirshberg came to Fairfield, IA, the town was very forward thinking but the materials they needed to build the home they were planning, one modeled after Frank Lloyd Wright’s Prairie House and using Vedic architecture principles, were difficult to locate. Since the Internet boom had not yet occurred, the Hirshbergs traveled far and wide seeking and testing green, healthy materials and supplies for their own home and eventually provided their knowledge and resources to others seeking a green change in their home improvement or building projects.
Once they opened Green Building Supply in 1991, people in Fairfield responded by supporting the new business.concept. Eventually, customers from all parts of the country began to purchase and use the green supplies. People also began to rely heavily on the advice, knowledge and consultation GBS gives to individuals, contractors and builders. Unlike some other stores, GBS goes the extra distance and can tell you what materials your product actually contains and how the facility that manufactured it is run. Oftentimes they’ll travel to the facility for a tour so that they’ll know with absolute certainty that the product is safe for their customers and safe for the environment.
That’s not something you’ll find everyday and it’s exactly the reason GBS has become one of the country’s authorities on green materials, design principals and environmental impact. They care enough to offer exactly what their customers are looking for and will even find natural products that can compete in price with cheaper unnatural products. It’s the basis for excellent customer service in any business model, and it’s a breath of fresh air (so to speak) for people who want or need a safe, healthy home. This places the least amount of stress on our planet from the start of a project through to completion and for years beyond. At Green Building Supply, doing business this way is just the right thing to do.
