E3 Blog | Home Performance & Energy Efficiency

May 5, 2015 by Eco Three

J. Handey on Fox’s Business Break (5.2015)

Jonathan Handey talks with Dave Duncan on Business Break on WBRC (Fox 6) about what Eco Three does, the process of Eco Three’s evaluations, common issues and reasons why clients call us, and how we can help individuals improve the comfort and efficiency of their homes. Jonathan also discusses the common misconception that energy efficient upgrades are very expensive. This is not necessarily the case, and Eco Three focuses specifically on cost-effective solutions to save clients money while making homes more comfortable and energy efficient.

Click to see Jonathan Handey speak with Dave Duncan on WBRC (Fox 6) from May 2015.

March 9, 2015 by Eco Three

Angie’s List Super Service Award for 2014!

Eco Three Earns Esteemed 2014 Angie’s List Super Service Award

Award reflects company’s consistently high level of customer service

Birmingham, AL – March 9, 2015

Eco Three (Birmingham) has earned the service industry’s coveted Angie’s List Super Service Award, reflecting an exemplary year of service provided to members of the local services marketplace and consumer review site in 2014.

“Angie’s List has been instrumental in helping us grow the business. We credit our success to the combined efforts of all of our team members and our great clients who take the time to review us. We are so proud and honored to receive this award,” says Founder and Owner, Jonathan Handey.

“Only about 5 percent of the Energy Efficiency Evaluation companies and Insulation companies in the Birmingham Metro Area have performed so consistently well enough to earn our Super Service Award,” said Angie’s List Founder Angie Hicks. “It’s a really high standard.”

Angie’s List Super Service Award 2014 winners have met strict eligibility requirements, which include an “A” rating in overall grade, recent grade, and review period grade; the company must be in good standing with Angie’s List, pass a background check and abide by Angie’s List operational guidelines.

Service company ratings are updated daily on Angie’s List. Companies are graded on an A through F scale in areas ranging from price to professionalism to punctuality.

###

Angie’s List helps facilitate happy transactions between nearly 3 million consumers nationwide and its collection of highly-rated service providers in 720 categories of service, ranging from home improvement to health care. Built on a foundation of authentic reviews of local service, Angie’s List connects consumers directly to its online marketplace of services from member-reviewed providers, and offers unique tools and support designed to improve the local service experience for both consumers and service professionals.

February 21, 2015 by Eco Three

J. Handey Part of BBJ’s Top 40 Under 40 (2015)

BBJ’s Top 40 Under 40 Class of 2015 includes Eco Three’s Jonathan Handey

Eco Three is thrilled to announce that our Founder and President, Jonathan Handey, has been honored as one of the Birmingham Business Journal’s 2015 Top 40 Under 40!

See his video on “When his career took flight” by clicking here.

Staff, Birmingham Business Journal, February 2015

Jonathan Handey, 34, leads a company that has regularly ranked as one of the fastest-growing businesses in Birmingham. Under his leadership, the energy efficiency company has steadily grown revenue and earnings.

What was the turning point that helped your career take flight? A little over a year into business we began working with the local firm Cayenne Creative and they helped us establish our new brand.

What has been the highest point of your career so far? There has not been one single point but being able to exceed our goals each year is always motivating.

If you were the mayor of metro Birmingham for a day, what one thing would you change about Birmingham and why? I would focus on creating a proper energy plan, including making the city’s buildings more energy efficient in a cost-effective manner.

If you were governor of Alabama for a day, what one thing would you change and why? After having the honor of speaking to the Joint Legislative Committee on Energy, I learned they have a lot of admirable goals for our state in this area, but I would want to focus on a more cost-effective approach to achieving the goals

What’s your favorite thing about living in Birmingham? I feel like the small business community has become very engaging and that we host one of the top business incubators in world with Innovation Depot

What’s your ultimate career goal? Ultimately I would like to continue opening more branches in other states

What’s one interesting fact about you that most people don’t know? I am related to the Jack Handey who writes “Deeps Thoughts by Jack Handey”

What was your first job? Working at a waste water plant in the summer while in high school

Why did you choose your profession? I chose my profession because I enjoy meeting and working with homeowners on a daily basis and helping them improve the comfort and efficiency in their home

What’s your philosophy on success in 10 words or less? Do what you say you are going to do

What one word would you use to describe yourself? Loyal

What’s the hot topic in your industry? The ever changing building codes and how they improve energy efficiency in new construction

If you got a one-way airline ticket and had to use it tomorrow, where would you fly to? Sandestin, Fla.

No. 1 item on your bucket list? I look forward to being able to walk my daughter down the aisle at her wedding one day

What keeps you up at night? Missing the boat on staying innovative in my field

What inspires you? My wife and daughter

What’s the best advice you’ve ever received? Work hard, be honest and the business will come.

What’s the most important lesson you’ve learned? a referral is the ultimate compliment

What’s the first Web site you check in the morning? David Jeramiah’s daily devotion

Who’s your favorite follow on Twitter? History in Pictures

What’s the first thing you do when you get to the office? Say a prayer for a productive day

What’s your guilty pleasure? a local craft beer

What’s your favorite place in Birmingham (other than your home or the office)? a golf course

What’s your favorite local restaurant? Café Dupont

Twitter handle? @ECOTHREE

Education? BA in Finance from The University of Alabama

City of residence? Birmingham

Family? Wife – Lindsay, Daughter – Anna Reece (2)

February 18, 2015 by Eco Three

“Selling Green to Home Builders” 2015 ABLE Conf.

Eco Three’s Elizabeth Sanfelippo presented “Selling Green Build to the Homebuyers” along with Sustain’s Natalie Kelly at the 2015 ABLE (Alabama’s Better Living Expo) Conference in Montgomery, AL. Elizabeth and Natalie discussed some obstacles in getting home builders to buy into the idea of “green” homes and how using the term “green” may not always be the best route. “Green” has become so overused in recent years that it has lost a lot of meaning. It gets tossed around so much that it has little to no impact – unless it is talking about saving green (as in money). The irony is that by spending a little bit more green on the front end will definitely help save green throughout the time spent in the house, and it will fetch a higher sales price when it comes time to relocate. One major challenge in the past has been with quantifying projected savings and being able to utilize technologies and diagnostic tests to confirm things like building envelope tightness, duct tightness, and an overall efficiency rating. Eco Three offers help with measuring and assessing these components and obtaining an overall efficiency rating such as the HERS®

Rating from RESNET. Home buyers can also help transform the home building industry by making specific requests to their builders and asking questions about energy efficiency upgrades available and about what features they focus on as a company. If your builder doesn’t seem receptive to your requests, home buyers can seek out other options. High performance home builders are not as common in Alabama as in other states, but they do exist. Regardless of the specific terminology, a “green” “or high-performance” or “energy efficient home” will maintain its value better than a traditional home, save occupants money in operating costs, and keep comfort levels high. One important question to ask is, “Can you really put a price on comfort?” Sometimes you can, and the investment is definitely worth it.

January 8, 2015 by Eco Three

Eco Three Innovations Opens

“Eco Three Innovations Revolutionizing Energy Efficiency for New Homes”

Birmingham, AL – January 8, 2015

Jonathan Handey, Founder and Principal of Eco Three, and Nick Daviston, Owner of Daviston Insulation, announced the January 2015 opening of their new business in Birmingham called Eco Three Innovations – Energy Code Specialists. The idea came out of numerous encounters with designers, architects, and builders in need of a reliable source for up-to-date knowledge of the ever-changing energy codes, energy efficiency consulting and inspection services throughout the design and construction phases, and third-party testing in order to ensure new homes are built according to current state and local energy codes.

Handey noted, “With the State of Alabama and various municipalities adopting new energy codes, we felt it was important to facilitate code compliance for designers, builders, and owners of homes being built. Changes in codes and the ever evolving energy efficiency requests that people have in the process of building homes have inspired us to create a company that integrates energy, comfort, and high performance homes through a simple and holistic approach.”

Daviston adds, “It is best to approach whole house energy efficiency during the construction phase, so we can enhance that by assisting in the design and pre-construction phases to make the process that much smoother. The results are better performing homes with appropriately sized HVAC equipment, the best insulation options along with proper air sealing, and other energy conscious features like specifying energy star equipment and passive solar through window placement.”

The company assists home builders with residential energy modeling & energy code compliance using ResNet®, ENERGY STAR®, and LEED® standards in addition to Manual J (for appropriate sizing of HVAC equipment). They provide consulting at all stages of design through occupancy including construction inspections (to ensure proper insulation installation and proper building envelope air-sealing), post-construction test-outs (blower door and duct blaster testing), and certifications (ResNet HERS Index and ENERGY STAR certification).

Eco Three Innovations is ready to assist you or your designer or builder with your energy code and energy efficiency needs.
#####

Contact:

Jonathan Handey

Founder, Principal, and Energy Consultant

1500 1^st Ave. N., Unit 8

Birmingham, AL 35203

Office: 205.582.4460

Cell: 205.657.1240
Email: jonathan@eco-three.com