Marshall Durrett
Durrett Interests, Austin, Texas
Marshall Durrett of Durrett Interests says the rise in consumer demand for sustainable design has spiked requests for custom homes built using insulated concrete forms. In his view, BuildBlock ICFs stand out from the rest of the field. The forms are “reversible and have an interlocking design,” which means the blocks don’t require as much glue as other ICFs, he explains. And snap-in rebar fingers speed up installation. “I was suspicious of the manufacturer’s claims about how quickly it would go up,” he says, but the product performed as promised. “It really did go up as they said it would.”
The Energy Star-approved 36-inch refrigerator/freezer combo from Miele adds another green element to Durrett’s homes. It also has a look he favors. “One of my requirements” for appliances is that they be “completely built-in and flush with the cabinets,” he says. Besides being well-lit by halogen lights, the unit connects to the Internet and warns homeowners if it isn’t cooling properly. Such luxurious perks make the product a perfect fit, he continues, for many of the company’s high-end condos, whose owners “often travel more than usual” or use them as “a second home.” They would “want to know” if the power has gone out, he reasons. “You don’t want to come home to a smelly mess.”
BuildBlock Building Systems. 866.222.2575. www.buildblock.com / Miele. 800.843.7231. www.miele.com
