Introduction

Sustainable
Concepts
Development
Corporation

"Designing it green to preserve our heritage."

It's true; the economy has changed and so is the way developments, financing and business in general is conducted. We have to look for alternatives and smarter more expansive ways to expand our existing businesses and create new opportunities.

Many of us were rattled with the real estate debacle and still many of us are finding it hard to make a come back. In part because the economy is not rebounding the way it should be but also because, although banks are saying "Yes we are lending" but in fact we all know, they are not.

So, the question begs to be asked; what do we do?

Find alternatives! Yes there are many alternatives to do business, good business. But it requires thinking outside the box at times and other times finding the person that can combine need with product with financing. And that's where we come in.

We at Sustainable Concepts Development Corp., try and marry concept, product, property and the right financing.

Additionally, among our core belief, is the fact that we need to make a radical change in our building designs and land development.

Experts have all agreed, one of the crucial design challenges is the availability of fresh, potable water. Even in the United States, fresh water is a valuable commodity and quickly shrinking. You may snare and say, but we have water treatment plants, how can we be running out of fresh water. Well, consider that as these water treatment plants clean and remove toxic material, that material must be deposited somewhere? Right? Yes but in most cases that waste and the chemicals they use to clean the water, most often finds its way back to the ground and eventually to our nations aquifers. But even if they did not, consider the amount of fossil fuel that must be found, transported to a refinery, processed, transported again to distribution sites and transported again to local gas stations. And its this fossil fuel that produces the electricity that these water treatment plants use to clean the water we us.

I can hear it now, many of you are screaming at me, telling me there are alternatives to energy production. And I agree just as emphatically as you. But a word of caution must be given. If a process is just as harmful to the environment or even more so, why would we consider it. So, lets go ahead and say it; nuclear power plants, coal fired power plants. Do we need to really discuss this?

OK. lets talk about nuclear power plants; Japan, Chernobyl and 3-mile island in Pennsylvania - nuff said. Now lets talk about coal-fired power plants. My wife went to China a few years back and she said the smog was so bad it made it hard to breath at times. And even the pictures she took on sunny days shows a haze in the air. Remember the Olympics; many of the athletes complained of how difficult it was to breath. Experts will tell you that, the main responsibility for the air pollution in China is the coal-fired plants. I know, I know clean burning coal power plants. If done correctly, is a good alternative. I agree, so why are we not using them more?

So, the argument continues in a vicious cycle because many would claim that there is no other way. Or is there? With many of the aquifers that provides clean water to many areas in the nation, either drying up or being contaminated the water supply is in risk of disappearing all together. Policy, Nationally and internationally, of how we produce power to run our treatment plants is environmentally dangerous and irresponsible. We need to find another way. And there is!

The question then is; how can we design a community that will not just “take” but give back? How do we develop responsibly? Is there a way to be one with the land – sustainability. This is Environmental responsibility. It was done before, why can't we do it now but better and with all of the conveniences we have come to appreciate so much.

The economy is another factor that we need to take into consideration as we ponder new developments. The consumers are more educated and more intuitive about technology and value. So, the designers and developers, must come up with new ideas that will address the needs of home owners and the need to be responsible with our environment and even save the home owner money. It comes in the form of "A new community!"

A “paradigm shift.” simply means, you have to radically change the way people think about a particular subject, in this case, you have to change the way people would view, think or decide how they purchase a home or the type of home or in what type of community. So, the project, this new community,  has to pave the way for a new style of community – not just a new style of home but a new type of community, in essence – a new way of living.

The community is the key to success with this new type of project. Imagine being able to live in a community that allows neighbors to cooperate with each other  or work together for the common good of the community  – whether by sharing, selling or giving some product away. So now, imagine the life style of the 1800's or the early 1900's but with all of the modern conveniences.

Hence this project will be a new prototype community where the homes are as close to 100% green / sustainable as possible and actually become part of a complex eco-system; getting and giving back to the land – living in a symbiotic relationship with the whole subdivision. Not only will the home itself be self-sufficient but the whole subdivision will produce a bountiful harvest of vegetables for the community. Based on quantities, the community will share in the harvest or they can sell a percentage to local restaurants or give some away to charity. It all establishes a relationship that starts with the land, than to the home, from the home to the land and finally to the community.

So, the question is; how much can one simple acre of land produce? It is estimated by some experts that in one acre you can grow 42,000 pounds of strawberries, 25400 pounds of potatoes or 11,000 pounds of iceberg lettuce. According to Iowa farming experts one acre can produce 182 bushels of corn. Many variations exist based upon other crops, irrigation, the nature of the soil and management. Now imagine how much can be produced in a community. The potential for a that community is enormous. If you still think this is not possible, look what one person can accomplish. http://www.fortlauderdalevegetables.com/

This type of community will spur new employment opportunities. For example; there will be no need for the usual lawn maintenance workers. No more cutting of a lawn that guzzles water and offers very little. No more pruning shrubs and trees and discarding the waste. That archaic industry will be replaced by the “urban farmer.” He will be responsible for the management of the crops, including the fruit and herb trees and shrubbery.

The urban farmer will manage the crops in all the lots - all the lots collectively is now the new urban farm. Much the same as managing the crops in a normal farm but at a micro-level. Instead of having large tracts of dedicated crops, now, the urban farmer, will have crops grown in the open spaces of urban residential lots. The water guzzling typical St. Augustine lawn will be replaced with ground cover that produces vegetables or fruits. Ordinary ornamental shrubs will be replaced with herbs or berry bushes that are both useful and ornamental. Or the installation of vines in arbors or entrance archways can create a beautiful design feature and yet be useful, such as; cucumbers or dragon fruit – beautiful yet edible. And yes, just like in a normal farm, crops may have to be rotated from lot to lot. Which makes this community dynamic in its look from season to season.

And ultimately, the residents of this community benefit and widen out as neighbors. They will have the ability to share or trade one neighbor to the next. A real sense of community.

Homeowners too, will have a small share of responsibility towards the harvest. These responsibilities will be detailed in the HOA documents and at closing. An agreement of cooperation should be executed. What these responsibilities are, are yet to be determined but it should at least include some community harvesting cooperation.

So yes, we can save our water supplies - 1,000,000 gallons can be saved in a 25 year period by simply changing the water-closet we use. That also means 1,000,000 gallons of contaminated water that we don't put in the ground or send to a water treatment plant. We can also produce our own power; either by using solar or by some other alternative means. And we can exchange the typical landscaping material around our homes and replace it with plant materials that offer us fruits, vegetables and herbs.

OUR Goal! To find and assemble a team of experts in their respective fields, to design and implement all the ideas we have just discussed in creating a NEW COMMUNITY - not only beautiful but sustainable.

So, if you are looking for a ideas or you are looking for property or simply you are looking for financing, please contact us. I'm positive we can help you SUCCEED!