"Development and environment are natural allies." The statement comes from a marketing letter describing Dewees Island in South Carolina. Taken out of context, you would expect it to raise the hackles of the average environmentalist. In reality, a number of environmental groups have praised the high-end residential development, which bills itself as "a private, oceanfront island retreat dedicated to environmental preservation." The statement sums up a philosophy that this community puts into practice. Its success holds lessons for anyone building energy- and resource-efficient housing.

The project was started six years ago by a group of investors who believed that a healthy market existed for environmentally friendly construction. They formed Island Preservation Partnership and hired John L. Knott Jr., a third generation builder from Baltimore, as CEO and managing director. Knott is a longtime advocate of the notion that people can live non-intrusively with nature, and he jumped at the chance to put that notion into practice.

The 1206-acre island, located 12 miles north of Charleston, South Carolina, has attracted national attention as a model of sustainable development. According to Knott, dozens of groups have sought speakers and information about Dewees, or have come to tour the project. These include the American Institute of Architects, Southern California Edison, Environmental Protection Magazine, American Solar Energy Society, U.S. Department of Energy, International Energy Agency, Rocky Mountain Institute and the U.S. Green Building Council.

The island's environmental covenants limit the number of homes to 150, and cluster them in the most ecologically hardy area. Builders agree to follow a comprehensive set of design and construction guidelines that aim to ease the impact of construction on the island, as well as to reduce the amount of energy and resources the island's homes use. The guidelines require homes to minimize energy consumption through the use of solar heating, daylighting, shading devices and prevailing summer breezes. Highly efficient appliances and environmentally responsible building materials are also encouraged. Homes must be surrounded by native vegetation--no lawns are allowed--and only 7500 sq.ft. of each lot can be disturbed by construction. Waste management and recycling programs have been developed for the construction phase, as well as for the home occupants.

The island's infrastructure strives to minimize its effects on the environment as well. Though the developers installed the usual underground phone and power lines, the similarity to typical island development projects stops there. The five roads aren't paved--instead, they're surfaced with crushed limestone. The developers also installed complete recycling and composting systems, as well as a central reverse osmosis water system that supplies the island's drinking water.

Of course, building in a development like this puts a lot of demands on the builder. "Consider the factors that the average Dewees home builder addresses in building a home," says Knott. These include energy conservation, resource reduction, environmental impact, recycling, green building, indoor air quality, water quality, waste management, flood management, native landscapes, habitat impact and community development.

Knott also realizes that while many builders want to pursue environmentally responsible housing, they simply lack the skills. To prepare builders, the Partnership holds seminars on green building, and encourages buyers to choose their architect and builder from the list of those who have completed the course. The education doesn't stop with management. Each member of the construction crew must read and sign the island's environmental guidelines. In addition, the Partnership sponsors trade shows to showcase green building materials, and to create relationships between suppliers of environmentally friendly building materials, builders and architects.

The extra effort has paid off with almost half of the project's lots being sold. With lot prices on the island from $200,000 to $500,000, the project attracts an exclusive set of home buyers. These home buyers believe the goals of environmental awareness and comfort can be complementary. For the developers, sustainability is an amenity, so it becomes a key part of the marketing package. Dewees' literature stresses the lifestyle benefits of living close to nature, as well as the reduced energy and maintenance costs of running an efficient home.

A natural question is how much of what's done in a high-end project like Dewees can benefit the average developer. One sign that the Dewees approach is broadly applicable is the fact that it has gained the attention of Habitat for Humanity, which has made a priority of environmentally friendly construction (See December 1996). Dewees has become a resource for Habitat's quest because the sustainable design techniques that Dewees demonstrates make sense economically, and reinforce resource-efficient practices.

For more information contact John L. Knott, Jr., 800-444-7352