This month our Carbon Hero is Homes with Integrity.  They made a pledge to plant 1500 trees by September 2020.  They have already contributed 1000 to date!  Homes with Integrity is a company that is passionate about protecting the environment and they are accredited as HIA Green Smart Professionals.  We sat down with Viola Chick from the company to discuss the organisation and what motivates them to support Carbon Neutral Charitable Fund.

Can you tell us a little about yourself and the inspirations behind your brand?

Homes With Integrity is a Geelong based building company that specializes in building and designing homes that are sustainable and energy-efficient. We have taken on this approach because we not only believe it is the ‘future’ of the building industry but because it offers our clients a tangible way of making a difference in an ever-increasing environment of sustainability management.

We are committed to building homes, renovations and extensions which are at the forefront of industry quality, design and energy efficiency.

Why is caring for the environment important to you?

We believe that the resources that we are given on this amazing planet are precious and are the key elements of our ‘future generations’ wellbeing. Using these natural resources responsibly is essential. We harvest energy from the sun, gather water from the rain, reduce, re-use, and recycle wherever possible. All of which contribute to reducing the carbon footprint we leave on the earth.

What motivates you to support our work in particular?

Carbon Positive Australia is an amazing foundation focusing on reforestation of degraded land within Australia. They work on a number of projects each year to replant native trees and bushland in places where it is desperately needed, to restore natural habitat.

We have decided to support Carbon Positive Australia and our planet by planting 150 trees for each home we build. Working out the amount of carbon that we produce with each build is hard to accurately estimate and offset, however planting trees is one of the best ways to do so. Trees absorb carbon dioxide and provide habitat for a great deal of Australian wildlife. Trees are crucial in keeping us alive, as they turn CO2 into oxygen, effectively cleaning our air.

We are hoping to increase these contributions and support foundations, such as Carbon Positive Australia as a means to living up to our name and mission of being a sustainable and responsible company.

Are there any other green initiatives that your organisation is working on?

Homes With Integrity is continuing to encourage its clients to incorporate quality recycled materials within their plans and to build homes with energy-efficient and passive designs using renewable or low greenhouse gas emitting energy sources.

We are actively involved in a community-based initiative called ‘Sustainable House Day’. This gives us the opportunity to open up our newly built homes to the general public and be able to show them our sustainable designs and concepts.

We also support the initiatives of local suppliers and sub-trades who have an environmentally sustainable focus and drive.

Do you have any environmental goals that you would like to achieve? If yes, how and by when?

Homes With Integrity would like to continue working with clients who are interested in building sustainable and passive homes, so we can keep improving our local building industry standards and encourage people to live a more environmentally friendly lifestyle.

We are also in the process of becoming a company that is ‘paperless’ throughout both administrational and operational pursuits.

Is there anything else you’d like to share with our supporters?

Building a home is a big initiative in anyone’s life, we at HWI endeavour to educate and facilitate every possible environmentally sustainable aspect of that process with our clients.  We are committed to this process in order to achieve the best outcome for every stakeholder and potentially reduce future utility bills in the process.

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