ECO LifeStyle Homes coming to WC industrial park

A “green building” company is coming to Chipley. Washington County Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Ted Everett announced that ECO LifeStyle Homes would build a manufacturing facility in the Tommy McDonald Industrial Park behind UPS, Ridley and WestPoint Home. Everett made the announcement Tuesday afternoon.

“President Robin D. Webb said he plans to have the plant in operation by Fall 2008,” Everett said. “He confirmed that the factory would employ approximately 400 workers when it reached full capacity, which should be in about two years. They anticipate that amount would double within four years time.”

Everett said the Yorkville, IL, company came to the Chamber about nine months ago looking for a location for a 120,000-square-foot manufacturing facility. “We were able to use our Enterprise Zone and our planned free trade zone application as incentives,” Everett said.

“We looked at five counties in the area,” said ECO LifeStyle Homes Southeast Division Marketing and Sales Manager Cherry Hall. “Ted and the Chamber totally sold us on Washington County.” Hall said that once business is established another 100,000 square feet of manufacturing space would be added. “And those jobs would pay above average wages with benefits,” she said.

Although the housing market overall has taken a tumble in recent months, Hall said the owners are convinced that the core demand for green products would grow. “Plus, oil prices are not going down,” Hall said.

The company offers a wide variety of green homebuilding products manufactured at plants in Durant, MS and California. “Within 12-20 months we plan to have 20 factories in targeted areas to meet specific needs,” Hall said.

One of those areas is the state of Hawaii, which has a near-perfect combination of temperate zones for the company’s products. Hall said the company would develop communities and products for everything from “aquaponic” food and fish growing, to developing completely self-sufficient communities if desired.

Hall said the company has a “green” concept that is not just based on energy savings, but is also based around the products used for construction. “We use no concrete and no Styrofoam in our products,” she said, although homes would be built on a concrete slab. The homes utilize solar technology, including solar systems for communities, water and sewer systems that reduce water use and recycle water for use, and even paint that provides an insulation factor of R-19 by itself.

“Our products block up to 97 percent of infrared transfer,” Hall said. “Our products are biodegradable, sustainable and renewable. Since our products are totally eco-friendly and use no paper, there is no mold and mildew.”

She said that the company looks for unique, green products to use to build its homes. “A lot of times someone has an idea but they don’t have the capital to develop it,” Hall said.

The company does not do the actual contracting, but builds homes in its factories and delivers components to the site. “It takes about three weeks to assemble everything, and if the slab is ready and weather is good, we can build a three-bedroom home in 72 hours. We build everything priced from very obtainable to top of the line.” Hall said that the company is also developing entire communities.

“We want to produce a superior product that improves lifestyles,” Hall said.