Living Stone: Completing the Green Experience
Eight Principles of a Healthy Home
Living Stone Wins Prestigious State Award for our Safety Program
Living Stone chosen as #1 Best Custom Home Builder in NC!
The Ava Simone for the Barbers in The Settings of Black Mountain
This House Smells -The Dangers and Opportunities that IAQ Present in Homebuilding
“This house smells…different than the rest. Actually, it doesn’t really have a smell?!” said Mrs. Lee as she walked into the Parade of Homes entry I was manning last year. Mrs. Lee, like many other visitors in years past, noticed what most builders are missing across the country, the fact that IAQ is important.
I had the privilege, two years ago, of sitting in a research lab think tank with seven other top builders from across the nation. The question was posed to us “What is the greatest concern that you have about the homes that you are building today”? Each builder at the table said that they were concerned about building homes so tight that they might be poisoning the people that move into them. When they got to me, I was dumbfounded by their answers and had to ask my own question, “Are you using a rater”?
Local Asheville Builder Named by NAHB as Certified Green Professional of the Year
January 10, 2017
The National Association of Home Builders last night honored 12 individuals who have excelled in teaching NAHB education courses and for their professionalism as NAHB educational designation holders as the Educators and Designees of the Year. The awards were given during the 2017 International Builders‘ Show® held this week in Orlando, Fla.
“These home building industry professionals definitely ‘walk the walk,’” said 2016 NAHB Education Chair William L. Shaw, Jr., GMR, CGR, GMB, CAPS and CGP, a Houston remodeler and NAHB instructor. “These leaders don’t just talk about the importance of education. They also work to stay current and even ahead of industry trends so they can set an example for the home builders, remodelers and other industry professionals who make up our great Federation.”
Expert Interview Series: Sean Sullivan of Living Stone Construction About the Appeal and Durability of Green Homes
Sean Sullivan, the president of Living Stone Construction, is an award-winning builder who specializes in designing and building high-performance green homes in Asheville, North Carolina. We recently spoke with Sean to learn more about today’s green homes and why they are becoming more popular among home buyers.
Tell us a bit about your background. Why did you decide to concentrate on building green homes?
My father was a fighter pilot in the Marine Corps. After he ascended the leadership ladder and finished taking command of different air bases, he began teaching TQM (Total Quality Management) and later formed his own consulting company. I learned not only from his teachings, but also those of others like W. Edwards Deming who said, “It is not enough to do your best; you must know what to do, and then do your best.”
So when we first heard that there was a rating system coming to western North Carolina for ENERGY STAR and Greenbuilt-certified homes, we immediately signed up. We simply believe that if you are going to do something, do it right.
New Model Home in French Broad Crossing
Living Stone is privileged to be chosen as the builder for the 2016 Southern Living Inspired Community Model home on Lot 23 in French Broad Crossing.
Sean and Laura renovate their Black Mountain home
Laura and Sean Sullivan decided to put Living Stone Construction’s design-and-build process to the test when they renovated their home in Black Mountain.
Sean, owner of Living Stone, and Laura, owner of ID.ology Interior Design, wanted to see how well their in-house process works for the many clients the award-winning team attracts. They bought an older home in a venerable neighborhood and treated themselves as clients.
Through work that raised the roof and added square footage in back, the Sullivans confirmed that Living Stone’s meticulously thought-out process makes renovating an existing home or building a new one as easy for clients as possible.
“I would say that we confirmed that our process does work,” Sean said. “It works very well. And we learned some things along the way to improve the process of our clients going forward.”
Getting Creative with your Empty Nest
Many baby boomers are finally saying goodbye to their adult children, who are moving out of the house and starting the next chapter in their lives.
Sullivan to bring passion to the NCHBA 2015
Empowerment. That’s what incoming-NCHBA President Sean Sullivan says is going to be a hallmark of his term in 2015. He wants to empower members, local associations and executive officers with the tools they need to continue to keep North Carolina the #1 state in our federation.