Jeff Brecko, vice president of Aurora Custom Remodeling and chair of NEFBA’s E-Council, was drawn to the E-Council because of what he says is a perfect alignment of his own philosophy and the council’s vision and mission statement.
“I believe we have hit critical mass with the need for cleaner, greener, more energy-efficient and sustainable homes,” he said. “As an industry, we have not been quick to embrace building science, and homeowners have been slow to request green features in their homes.”
Jeff started his building career as a carpenter more than 20 years ago while finishing college in the state of Washington. A few years after returning to the East Coast and settling in Virginia,he met his wife to-be, Heather, and started his own building and remodeling company. After the birth of their first child, they wanted to be closer to Heather’s family in Jacksonville.
Since Virginia and Florida do not have construction licensing reciprocity, Jeff was unable to move his business here. He interviewed with several local builders and chose Aurora Custom Homes and Remodeling, finding a like-minded professional in Michael Lenahen, the company’s founder and president.
Jeff quickly assumed all responsibility for the remodeling company. Now, in addition to being a Florida-certified building contractor, Jeff is a certified graduate remodeler (CGR), a certified green professional (CGP) and a certified aging in place specialist (CAPS).
Jeff, who served as the Remodeler Council chair in 2010, is now chair of the NEFBA E-Council.
“I am deeply committed to bringing our remodelers and builders the type of training and marketing program development we need to have an edge on the competition,” Jeff said. “I like the idea that we can use the council for training, and we can bring in nationally recognized speakers and teachers for our members and local contractors. It helps us raise the bar locally.”
The council’s recent focus is educating the public on the benefits and necessity of embracing energy efficient, sustainable construction.
“I’ve seen an increase in interest on the part of the consumers, but it is directly related to their level of education about energy-efficient homes,” Jeff said. “Most would not refuse a sustainable product or energy efficiency upgrade, but they don’t want to spend any more money for it. Our challenge now is to educate them on the long-term cost benefit not just the impact on the environment.”
Jeff believes NEFBA’s E-Council can bring facts and research to the public so they can determine the validity of advertising claims and make wise decisions.
“The E-Council seminars and workshops are about what everyone is going to be doing tomorrow,” Jeff said. “Being involved in the council and attending these training opportunities put our members ahead of the curve. And, while we’re all glad to see builders busy, we need to remember how important it is to invest time in training and keeping up with innovation.”
For information about the E-Council, check out the Web site:www.ecounciljax.org, e-mail [email protected], or call NEFBA offices at 725-4355.
Vision & Mission
E-Council Vision: By educating the construction industry and the community about building science and efficient, sustainable construction practices, the E-Council will be a driving factor in making Northeast Florida the most sustainable built environment in the nation.
E-Council Mission: The E-Council will provide high-quality building science education and training to construction industry professionals and community members alike. The E-Council will host national trainings as well as develop local trainings that focus on both the technical and business development aspects of efficient, sustainable construction and promote and educate the public about the benefits of these practices.