Description:
Sapona Green Building Center is southeastern North Carolina’s only store dedicated to sustainable, non-toxic and energy and water-conserving products. Sapona offers many choices for flooring, counter tops, tiles, insulation, sheet goods, paint, plaster, sealers and adhesives. Sapona also installs all the products it carries.

Executive Summary:

In the fall of 2006, Elaine and Matt Jack learned that they were going to have their first baby. Like most parents, they set about to make their home as safe and clean as possible for the new occupant. Through research and conversations with their doctor, they discovered that paint and carpet are some of the leading contributors of poor indoor air quality. So one of their first projects was to paint and install carpet using non-toxic products.

They soon found out that no local sources existed for these products. After discussions with neighbors, parents and other expectant parents, Matt and Elaine learned that other area residents were unsuccessful in their search for these products. An idea was born -- Elaine and Matt decided they would open a retail store featuring green building products.

Now in its third year, Sapona Green Building Center has grown to a five person staff and remains southeastern North Carolina’s only store dedicated to sustainable, non-toxic and energy and water-conserving products. Sapona offers many choices for flooring, counter tops, tiles, insulation, sheet goods, paint, plaster, sealers and adhesives. Sapona also installs all the products it sells and works with a designer to help customers create the right look for their home.

Sapona recently began a renewable energy installation division. Sapona Solar and Wind has an in-house renewable energy engineer who is responsible for site analysis, design and installation of both solar electric and solar hot water systems as well as wind systems.

Sapona has also developed a line of water-conserving products including dual-flush toilets; gray water systems that capture the used water from sinks and use it to flush toilets; rain water harvesting systems that capture rain water to be used for irrigation purposes. Rain water harvesting systems can run from the 55-gallon converted pickle barrel up to 20,000 gallon tanks buried in the ground.

One of the main missions of Sapona Green Building Center is to educate the public on the benefits of green building products. To this end, Sapona hosts monthly educational seminars on such topics as sustainable flooring, green renovations, indoor air quality, energy audits and renewable energy. Elaine Jack has also spoken to area schools, realtors, builders and designers on why green building products are a good choice.

Elaine and Matt take special gratification in assisting neighbors and friends that come into Sapona looking for non-toxic products for their home.

What specific results have been achieved?

Sapona continues to educate the citizens of southeastern North Carolina on the benefits of using sustainable and non-toxic products. This education is achieved through a monthly seminar series held at the store, outreach presentations to area schools and organizations, the company website and in-store reference materials. The knowledgeable sales staff spends the time necessary to teach the public how sustainable products are better for the planet, the person and the pocketbook.

Even with the formation of the Company coinciding with the start of the Great Recession, Sapona has managed to stay afloat and has even shown steady growth. In February of 2009, Sapona relocated to a larger, more suitable location that provides excellent visibility. This site, a 10,000 square foot building built in 1942, is being marketed as a “Green Retail Center” with the idea of establishing an incubator for sustainable entrepreneurs.

In 2009, Sapona was awarded Entrepreneur of the Year in the Retail category by the Greater Wilmington Business Journal and Cameron School of Business at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington. In October, 2009, Sapona co-founder Elaine Jack was featured on the cover of WILMA Magazine’s Green Issue.

Sapona has successfully created a brand image for itself. When area residents think of green building, Sapona Green Building Center as the “one stop shop” comes immediately to mind.

Sapona has been approached several times with inquiries about opening branch locations in other parts of North or South Carolina.

In what ways are the efforts of this organization/individual unique and innovative?

Sapona Green Building Center is a unique store for southeastern North Carolina. There is no other store in this area that specializes in green building products, i.e. recycled, non-toxic, sustainable and energy and water-conserving products. In fact, when the owners formulated the idea to create a “one stop shop” for green building products in 2007, there was no existing business model for such an entity. It was only after further research on the internet that they discovered that retail outlets devoted to sustainability existed, primarily on the west coast.

Since there is no proven business plan or road map for such an enterprise, Sapona Green Building Center is an innovator due to its sheer existence. From financing alternatives to distributors to marketing, the idea of the sustainable retailer of green products is new. The owners of Sapona are continuously offering innovative new green products to test the market on their feasibility.

The staff of Sapona conducts extensive research on new “green” products to ensure that they meet the criteria of non-toxic, sustainable or energy / water conserving. In that way, Sapona can offer the latest innovative green products without the customer having to be concerned with “green washing” or the trend for manufacturers to promote a product as green when in reality it is not.

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How has the broader community been impacted?

Sapona presents free monthly seminars open to the public that cover a broad range of topics. Some of the seminar topics to date have included:

Sustainable Flooring Options
Rain Water and Grey Water Harvesting
Solar Hot Water Systems
Photovoltaic Systems
Sustainable Counter Top Options
Indoor Air Quality
Green Renovations

Sapona took part in a drive to collect used denim to be made into cotton insulation for use at a Habitat for Humanity project in North Carolina. Sapona had over 10 collection points in the area, many at local schools. More than 1,000 pieces of denim were collected. This is enough cotton to be made into insulation to cover a typical 2,000 square foot house. Sapona co-founder Elaine Jack engages in numerous outreach events to bring public awareness to the benefits of sustainable and non-toxic building products. She often speaks before groups of school children, civic associations and various non-profits groups. Elaine was recently rewarded for her efforts by being the cover model on the green issue of WILMA, Wilmington’s Magazine for Women. To view the issue electronically, please click on the link: http://www.wilmaontheweb.com.

Sapona works closely with the Cape Fear Green Building Alliance (CFGBA). As a board member of CFGBA, Elaine Jack is able to further bring sustainable products and building practices to the fore-front. Sapona strives to offer locally-manufacturer products. An example of this is the wood reclaimed from the bottom of the Cape Fear River that is made into beautiful furniture and flooring.