What: Superior Walls, which is a factory produced, insulated, ready-to-finish basement wall system.
Company: Superior Walls of East Tennessee
Location: Headquartered in Rock Island, Tenn., with product used on construction sites in Southeast Tennessee and throughout the East
How it's green: The insulation in Superior Walls wall systems seals the wall and helps keep energy consumption down, said Tom Elliott, Chattanooga area technical sales representative. "A normal home loses 33 percent of its energy through its basement crawl space," Elliott said. Also, since Superior Walls is manufactured in a factory setting and does not require any additional petroleum chemical treatments on site, harmful toxins from cement mixing and finishing agents are not being released at the job site, he said.
How long will it last? All walls come with a 15-year guarantee, which Elliott said is one of the "best warranties in the business. I don't know exactly how long they last, but it's longer than you or I would ever have to worry about," he said.
Why do it this way? Aside from being environmentally friendly, the wall system is easier and quicker to put up than conventional basement walls, Elliott said.
Advice for others considering green initiatives: "Have all the specs of your product and know them," Elliott said. "Really be able to convey to your customer the benefits of your product. If you can explain it in a way that people can understand, it eases their mind."
Is environmentalism an essential part of the business and why? Though not an essential part of the business, Elliott said environmentalism is "a pretty big part." He said people can relate to the desire to keep the environment safe and clean, and he's convinced that having an eco-friendly product "is certainly helpful."