Sarasota-based Eco-$mart is building a sustainable future - Axios Tampa BayLog InLog InAxios Tampa Bay is an Axios company.

Sarasota-based Eco-$mart is building a sustainable future

Secure-Lock homes. Courtesy of Eco-Smart Inc. Sarasota-based Eco-$mart president Matt Ross has heard the same refrain for 30 years as he has tried to convince builders to use more sustainable, earth-friendly, energy-efficient products."Pioneers get arrows in the back." In other words: Even if a greener product makes financial sense, builders are slow to switch. Nobody wants to go first. Yes, but: COVID might've changed all that. What's happening: The spike in the cost of construction materials and the rising cost of labor has opened the door for a new type of house built out of insulated panels that takes a five-person team one week to assemble, Ross tells Axios. are high-performance building panels that use expanded polystyrene foam insulation sandwiched between steel skins.And builders are catching on. Ross points to a townhome project going up now at 1261 Park Street in Clearwater that's using them. Details: can build an energy-efficient home safe from hurricanes, earthquakes, fires, pests and mold for a fraction of the cost of conventional new construction. The big picture: Ross will showcase the panels and other cutting-edge sustainable housing technology at the Sept. 22-23, hosted by New College of Florida and the Sarasota chapter of the Interior Design Society.The conference, featuring 11 experts in green building, will talk about things like environmental landscape design and solar electricity. If you go: Starts at 9am both days at the Harry Sudakoff Center at New College of Florida in Sarasota. : $5-$25; students are free. Get more local stories in your inbox with .Subscribe Support local journalism by becoming a member.

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