Pam Sessions and Hedgewood Properties
Awarded National Honor

Hedgewood Properties was chosen 2003 Builder of the Year by Professional Builder Magazine. Hedgewood was chosen for its niche-based smart growth strategy and market leadership in design, energy efficiency and green building. When choosing award candidates, Professional Builder editors search for companies with ideas that address how builders can grow business and profitably while tailoring to trends in the building marketplace. "Hedgewood has the right idea - building architecturally stunning homes in beautiful communities located so close to employment, schools, shopping and night life that they make a case as a solution to rush hour traffic."

In 1998 The Greater Atlanta Home Builders Association teamed with Southface to create a template for green building programs for HBA's across the country. Pam Sessions, co-owner of Hedgewood Properties, chaired the committee. The result was EarthCraft House, a voluntary green building program that serves as a blueprint for healthy, comfortable homes that reduce utility bills and protect the environment. In January 2000, Hedgewood became the first builder to commit to building all its homes to the EarthCraft standard.

EarthCraft House Renovations EarthCraft House launched its remodeling program in November, during the Remodelers Show in Indianapolis, attracting national media attention. Also, Southface held the first training for this new program November 14, with 12 builders primarily focused on renovations learning the new program standards, including proven energy performance improvements once the homes become ECH certified.

Mark Newey leads a discussion on mechanical systems during a recent EarthCraft House Renovation training.

Energy Smart Schools Roundtable

A Roundtable for the Energy Smart Schools program attracted school facility managers, school board officials and teachers to discuss high performance school design and its positive impact upon student achievement, teacher retention and maintenance costs. Wyndol Fry from the McKinney Independent School District in Texas explained how his award-winning schools save energy and create a more productive learning environment.

2002 Remodelers' Show Jim Hackler, EarthCraft House Director, presented with SawHorse representatives at the 2002 Remodelers' Show in Indianapolis, Indiana. Hundreds of exhibitors showcased everything from kitchen faucets and appliances to windows, siding, decking, skylights, fireplaces and more. Remodelers, custom builders and residential architects were able to make strategic plans to keep up with their ever-changing client demands. Hackler represented Southface and EarthCraft House, as his presentation focused on the consumer demand for quality, and how making renovations more environmentally friendly can ensure quality building.

(L to R) Kim Sweet, editor of Professional Remodeler; Jerome Quinn, president of SawHorse Inc.; Jim Hackler, EarthCraft House director and Dean Horowitz, publisher of Professional Remodeler stand in the Professional Remodeler’s booth at the Remodelers Show in Indianapolis, Ind. The booth showcased an EarthCraft House renovation by SawHorse.

Hardin Consults on New Buildings Hardin, whose Senior Vice President Jeff George sits on the Southface Board of Directors, has been contracted for sustainable projects including the new 40,000-square-foot Arthur M. Blank Family Office, a Buckhead headquarters for The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation and AMB Group LLC, and a campus for Capital One Financial Corp. in Richmond, Virginia. Both buildings are currently in early development stages.

Arthur Blank, middle, seen at the Arthur M. Blank Family Office groundbreaking.

Paul Dolan Visits Southface Rehearsing his remarks for the Visionary Dinner, Fetzer President Paul Dolan visited Southface for the Winter Solstice event. Accepting the Southface Award of Excellence on behalf of Fetzer Vineyards, Dolan spoke briefly about his company's environmental practices in agriculture and industry. Fetzer Vineyards was also honored recently by California's prestigious Waste Reduction Awards Program (WRAP) for outstanding performance and innovative successes in waste reduction. WRAP honors businesses that reduce the amount of waste produced and find new workable solutions to reuse and recycle materials produced at the workplace.

Dennis Creech presents the Southface Award of Excellence to Paul Dolan, (L-R)Tom Meyer, VP Fetzer Brands Global Group Director, Chris Poulos, Brown Forman Beverages Worldwide, Paul Dolan, President of Fetzer Vineyards, Dennis Creech and Marci Reed of Southface.

At the Winter Solstice Festival

	Above left: Dennis Creech and Volunteer Coordinator Aziza Cooper present the Volunteer of the Year award to Kanika Greenlee. Also recognized as Volunteer of the Year but not pictured was Knox Pannill. Above right: Walter Reeves explains ways to “green your holidays.” Left: Jules Paulk gets a helping hand from a Southface member as she makes apple spice cake.

New Fellows

Adam Deck joins Southface as an EarthCraft House Fellow. He is from Raleigh, NC, where he was employed with the Habitat for Humanity of Wake County ReUse Center, focusing on building material reclamation and diversion of waste from area landfills. In addition to experience in construction and fine woodworking with reclaimed material, he served as crew leader for Turn of the Century Deconstruction strategically disassembling older structures.

Gray Kelly, a new EarthCraft House Fellow, worked in commercial real estate development and management in Atlanta for 10 years before making the switch to residential construction two years ago. Gray attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill where he majored in industrial relations and sociology. He lives with his wife, Kim, and two dogs off the square in Marietta. Gray Kelly, a new EarthCraft House Fellow, is greeted on his first day by a surprise visitor. Nutsy the squirrel is a transient who resides in Reniassance Park across from Southface.