Green Building From A Painters' Perspective

Time-tested, skill-based careers are diminshing faster than plans for new nuclear power plants. Woodworking, painting, tailoring ... these are just a few examples of hundreds of specialized jobs that, in our modern one-stop-shop world, are starting to join black and white television in the graveyard of the good ole days.

Not everyone has abandoned these traditions, most of which are passed down through decades upon decades of a family's heritage. Going back five generations, Shiloh Painting in North Carolina is an exterior and interior painting business that is actively taking on the role of going green.

Starting on the cheap in 2000 by Ohio-born Isaac Klepac, Shiloh Painting got a boost in 2006 when Isaac's father, Mark, moved to North Carolina to join his son's business - bringing over 30 years of professional painting experience with him. "We know that many of our customers are interested in how products used on their home impact the environment. We share that concern and only use the finest, environmentally-friendly products on all of our jobs," says the Shiloh Painting website.

In the following interview, we speak with Shiloh Painting founder Isaac Klepac about the role of painting in the green building movement, how he educates his customers about the important of sustainable products, and what is next in the world of eco-building trends.

BGTV: How is interior and exterior painting a vital part of the green movement and lifestyle?

Isaac Klepac of Shiloh Painting: I see all parts of the green movement as a philosophy and lifestyle. Early on in the formation of my company, I picked up something from my father-in-law who is very interested in Total Quality Management (philosophy and movement). I picked something out of our conversations that I have applied to my ideas about business and becoming "greener". In my condensed down and personal application, it is that I should measure where I am and continually challenge myself to get better.

My take is that we [all] want to be a part of a big vision and then we want to continually see progress toward that vision. I see the green movement as a stewardship issue. Green building effects us where we live, work, eat, and play in our own personal environment. I have a right and responsibility to grow and get better at protecting the environment my painters work in.

I have the privilege to walk into a freshly painted/stained room with a customer and have no harmful odors. I have pride when I do the best I can to apply an exterior coating that will protect the siding and help it last longer. I worked for a customer last year who had to repaint after only two years. Both the customer and I did everything we could to give the exterior siding an extended life. The other thing I did was to challenge them to pick color that would blend into the mountain instead of stick out as an eye sore.

BGTV: What brand is your personal favorite for sustainable paints? Why?

Isaac: I use Minwax water based stains instead of oil based [ones]. I have [also] begun using Sherwin Williams' Harmony paints as a standard product, becuse it is a well-tested no-VOC product and has anti-microbial properties.

BGTV: How do you work to educate your customers on sustainability and the importance of the paint choices?

Isaac: The primary ideas that I regularly get across to my customers is that I want to put quality products on their surfaces that will last. The better job I do, the less they will have to repaint.

I still have to convince customers regularly that a house full of moldings should be painted with a water based product and not oil, for both health and sustainability. In these instances, I carefully explain why I choose to use the products I do. If that fails, it speaks loudly when I say, "No I won't use that product because I can't in good conscience even as your servant." My customers respect me for that when I explain myself clearly. I have not lost a customer yet when I have done this. In laying out my argument, I start with the greatest direct effect: the customer and my employees have a right to breath clean air. There is a direct, immediate affect on someone's health - that usually seals it.

BGTV: What do you think the next trend in green building will be?

Isaac: I see all the interest in going green as a tremendous opportunity to bridge the gaps and make headway in moving forward. When I work with a builder, I have a tendency to think I know their business, but the truth is I only know a small part of what they do. I see the opportunity of the future as a chance to take these progressive ideas and work together with established builders to come up with betterm more sustainable solutions.

I also see that there is a trend beyond open floor plans. Instead of so many rooms, why not have multiple use rooms? Kitchens have already been transformed into a meeting places, so why not have multipurpose rooms? I see a trend even for the rich to have a smaller houses, but with all the same functions.