Even though his face was really made for TV, Renaissance Creative’s Social Media Strategist, Ben Lamothe will be working out his vocal chords this coming Monday. Ben will be joining host, Melissa Ross, on our local NPR / PBS affiliate, 89.9FM’s “First Coast Connect” at 9am (7/12/10), to discuss the Crisis in the Gulf. Ben will specifically be addressing BP’s social media response to the crisis. After a fumbling start, BP now has substantial social media strategy in place- but is it working, or being upstaged by Twitter’s satirical BPGlobalPR? Ben will let us know his thoughts. This is educational stuff, so tell your boss to “Back off!” (…or “Tune in!”).

That person who just whizzed by in a Prius with the “My mother is Earth” bumper sticker may be motivated less by altruism and more by self-interest.

A new national study, called Green Living Pulse, has upturned a number of myths about green consumer behavior. The 2009 Shelton Group study polled the 77 percent of the population that are actually buying green.

What the surveys found might surprise you.

According to this study of green consumers, the environment is not their top priority and while many know what they should do to help the planet, they often don’t do it.

Suzanne Shelton, whose firm conducted the study, says, “Most green advertising is created as if there’s one pool of green consumers and they’re all motivated by ‘save the planet!’ messaging.”

Shelton goes on to say, “We need a revolution in this thinking. Not all green consumers are the same, they’re not all motivated by the same messages and they’re not all inclined to buy only green products.”

The study identified two distinct mindsets — the Engaged Green Mindset and the Mainstream Green Mindset.


The Engaged Green Mindset is marked by a propensity to try new things and is more likely to respond to themes of innovation and possibility.

The Mainstream Green Mindset, on the other hand, is more apt to like things known and tried, responding to themes of security and reliability.

Yet, both mindsets point to the economy as their No. 1 concern. In fact, 59 percent called it their top concern, while the environment lags far behind at 8 percent.

When asked what the most important reason was for reducing energy consumption, 73 percent chose “to lower my bills and control costs” and only 26 percent chose “to lessen my impact on the environment.”

What all this means to builders who want to stand out in the “green” market place, is that you have to make sure that your message clearly defines the personal benefits of greenbuilding: Save money. Lower maintenance. Better return on investment. Safer & healthier living.

To be a leader, you should also position your company on the cutting edge, one whose standards and performance verification sets you apart in the science of greenbuilding.

Your website, brochures, PR and social media should all show that greenbuilding is affordable in the real sense of the word: a lower cost of ownership + qualify for subsidies/rebates and green-advantage mortgages + have a better resale value.

After all, the real cost of home ownership is much more than just sales price. It’s all the on-going and escalating costs like maintenance, energy, water and health.

Then there are all the less tangible, yet valuable commodities like contentment, comfort, peace of mind and, oh, yes the satisfaction of living responsibly.

Do green education right and you will attract the consumers you want. And who knows, you might even help save the planet.

The first LEED Platinum, Zero Energy Home (ZEH) in Florida built by StalwartBuilt Homes.

And on a more serious-minded note- you’ve likely heard about Brad Pitt and his earth-friendly entourage’s efforts to “Make it Right” in the lower Ninth Ward in New Orleans by building 150 sustainable residences for people whose homes were ravaged by Katrina.

Green is fun. Green is hip. And Green most certainly is our future. But Green Living can be very expensive, making it impractical for many outside the cultural elite.

…Until now.

Renaissance Creative and StalwartBuilt, an extreme green homebuilding science company, will soon announce a high-profile project expected to draw national attention and advance the evolution of high-level, affordable “Beyond Green” living.

Stalwart Built home

StalwartBuilt president, Julius Poston, a long-time developer and green building innovator from the Florida Panhandle, may just have cracked the affordability code. StalwartBuilt is responsible for building the very first LEED Platinum “Net Zero Energy” home in the Florida, and the Southeast region.

LEED Platinum is the highest rating possible from the nonprofit U.S.G.B.C (United States Green Building Council) that uses an extremely stringent, national, third party certification system for green homes.

Renaissance Creative partnered with Julius and StalwartBuilt almost two years ago, developing brand identity, a website and promotional materials for the company; coordinating public relations; and providing architectural assistance during product development.

Unlike so many modern green home concepts, the StalwartBuilt LEED Platinum home, located in Callaway Corners, a new single-family workforce housing development in Panama City, reflects the coastal vernacular of its Florida setting.  Yet, the home’s building science boasts the state-of-the-art in green-o-vation.

Photovoltaic solar panels. Geo-thermal heating. Honeywell air filtration for 98% allergen-free interior air quality. Cost & waste saving modular construction. Extreme wind-load strength.

And much more.  

And the price tag? Just $125 a square foot, not including the lot.

The history-making home is now the model for a soon-to-be announced regional initiative that will be putting hundreds of “Beyond Green” homes in neighborhoods that need them the most.

Hey, naked bike riders may attract gawkers. And movie stars may get lots of ink. But Julius Poston and associates, including Renaissance Creative, are getting it done. We are quietly and definitively making the dream of a hyper-green home an affordable reality for ordinary folks.

How cool is that?