Over three generations spanning hundreds of homes, Scott Colwell and his family have earned a reputation for building dream homes.
Colwell is owner of Colwell Homes, which builds semi-custom and custom homes that are differentiated by quality. That means brand-name materials, the best subcontractors in the market, customer service after the sale, and leading-edge energy efficiency for the home builder based southwest of Boston.
“We exceed the state building code by being part of the Energy Star program,” Colwell says. “And I think today’s buyers are much more educated. They understand energy efficiency a lot more today than they did a generation ago. So when they come to us, we have the answers they’re looking for.”
In addition to high-quality insulation, LED lighting, and Energy Star appliances, Colwell typically uses high-efficiency gas furnaces and water heaters to meet those energy-efficiency goals. But natural gas is not available in Maple Park Estates, the community of 68 move-up colonial-style homes he’s built in Norfolk, Massachusetts. Instead, Colwell has relied on propane to deliver the energy savings and desirable gas amenities his customers expect.
Like fellow builder Emerson Clauss, Colwell has used his leadership in both local and national builder associations to advocate for regulations that keep homes affordable and within reach for more prospective buyers. In the video below, Colwell and Clauss explain why preserving energy choice is one key factor in ensuring today’s new construction and remodeled homes remain the top housing built in this country.
Advocating for Fairness
Given the importance of propane cooking, water heaters, furnaces, fireplaces, and grills in his projects, potential buyers would see an all-electric home as a negative, Colwell says. “If they were looking at a new home that didn’t have gas versus an existing home that did, I think they would think twice about that new construction. They would say, ‘Well, wait a minute, this is really important to us—how we heat the home, how we can cook, the features of it for our dryer or fireplace.’ I honestly believe buyers would definitely think twice.”
As a past director of the NAHB and past president of the Builders and Remodelers Association of Greater Boston and the state association, Colwell has advocated for policies that keep housing affordable in his state and community. Part of that advocacy has been to battle local communities attempting to override the state code with rules that ban gas in construction—rules that have so far been struck down.
“We have to be constantly looking to the future and understanding that we’re all on one planet,” Colwell says. “We have to work toward a solution, toward providing housing for people that they can afford, and improving the environment. And the housing we’re building today is the best housing that’s ever been built in this country.” Visit propane.com to learn more about the high-performance systems Colwell uses to turn his projects into his clients’ dream homes.
