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| Professional Affiliations: |
- United States Green Building Council, Member
- City of Carmel-By-The-Sea Green Building Committee, Member
- Architects, Designers, Planners for Social Responsibility (ADPSR)
- Co-op America Business Network
- Central Pacific Association for Sustainable and
Responsible Development, Costa Rica |
| Website: |
www.enviro-international.com |
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Company Background
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Enviro International, Inc. was founded in 1990 by internationally-trained architect and President Safwat Malek.
Enviro International’s buildings are designed in harmony with the land’s original state - constructed using environmentally responsible materials, including sustainable lumber, nontoxic paints, and energy efficient appliances, heating, and electrical systems.
Enviro International’s current projects are Maison du Soleil, the first solar home in Carmel-by-the-Sea, the first certified ENERGY STAR home recognized by the United States environmental Protection Agency on the Monterey Peninsula, and the first certified Build-It-Green rated home in Monterey county. |
Maison du Soleil is a showcase of Enviro International’s philosophy of conserving natural resources, with each layer encapsulating its green focused design. Enviro International also designed and built the LEED-compliant expansion of the Unitarian Universalist Church, Monterey Peninsula’s first solar installation of its size (Phase I is complete).
Enviro International’s international projects include a 250-acre development in the Central Pacific Coast of Costa Rica called Hermosa Hills that includes single-family homes, condos, bungalows, and a boutique hotel. The development is designed to create a minimum impact on the environment and is using renewable resources in its construction.
Enviro International is currently designing an environmentally sustainable community in Potrero, Costa Rica - which is expected to be the first of its kind in the country.
Enviro International, Inc. prides itself on playing an active role in the communities in which it does business.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
How long has Enviro International, Inc. been in business?
Enviro International, Inc. was established in 1990 by internationally-trained architect Safwat Malek.
What services does ENVIRO International, Inc. offer its clients?
With over 45 years of experience in architecture and construction, Safwat Malek serves as the architect and construction executive for its projects.
What kind of projects has ENVIRO International completed?
Enviro International, Inc. has done single family homes, multi-residential, commercial, churches, resorts and green developments.
What is unique about ENVIRO International, Inc.’s environmental concept/green building approach to a project?
Enviro International, Inc. creates environmentally conscious buildings that fit the land, with the goal of maximizing the original open space and minimizing any disruption to the land’s original state. Working as an architect and a general contractor with LEED certified professionals, Enviro International uses environmentally friendly materials and reduces waste as much as possible during construction.
What types of green building materials does ENVIRO International Inc. use in construction?
Enviro International, Inc. uses a variety of green building materials such as certified & recycled lumber, nontoxic finishes, and energy efficient appliances, heating and electrical systems.
What does it mean to be a certified ENERGY STAR home?
To earn the ENERGY STAR certification, a home must meet the guidelines for energy efficiency set by the United States Environmental Protection Agency. These homes need to be at least 15% more energy efficient than homes built to the 2004 International Residential Code and include additional energy-saving features that typically make them 20-30% more efficient than standard homes.
What features does a home need to have to be considered ENERGY STAR certified?
ENERGY STAR qualified homes can include a variety of ‘tried-and-true’ energy-efficient features that contribute to improved home quality and homeowner comfort, as well as lower energy demand and reduced air pollution. Some of these features include effective insulation, high-performance windows, tight construction ducts, efficient heating and cooling equipment and qualified appliances.
What does it mean to be LEED certified?
The United States Green Building Council's (USGBC)
Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) created the Green Building Rating System in 1993 and is currently "the nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction, and operation of high performance green buildings." LEED certified buildings reap numerous benefits to not only the building owner, but to the community and environment.
How does a building become LEED certified?
To be considered for a level of LEED certification the project must be registered, meet the specified prerequisites and standards within each category and submit the required documentation. After review, projects can receive Certified, Silver, Gold or Platinum certification depending how they score on the evaluation. Recently, the USGBC introduced LEED for residential buildings.
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About Safwat Malek, Founder, President and Chief Architect
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Safwat A. Malek is founder and chief architect of Enviro International, Inc., an architecture and building firm located in Carmel, California. Mr. Malek founded Enviro International, Inc. with a vision to nourish, encourage and promote alternative ways of dealing with the practical application of environmental concepts in the building field. Mr. Malek has taken these concepts and applied them to his current projects, which include homes, multi-residential and churches in California and developments in Costa Rica.
Mr. Malek received his Bachelor of Architecture from Alexandria University in Egypt in 1961 and went on to receive his Masters of Architecture from Edinburgh University in Great Britain in 1966.
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As an early adopter of his vision for sustainability & environmental consciousness, he decided to develop his master's degree thesis on the industrialization of construction and the similarities between European and American concepts.
After moving to the United States in 1968, Mr. Malek worked in the San Francisco Bay Area as an architect for Wurster, Bernardi and Emmons Architects, Ehrich and Rominger Architects and Wheatley Associates Contractors and Developers. Mr. Malek received a license in Architecture from the state of California in 1973, and his general building contractor license in 1977. In 1978 Mr. Malek founded Malek Contractors, which was primarily involved in the design and construction of office buildings, multi -residential, single-family residences and churches. His experience led him to seek more energy efficient practices, and he made the first steps towards designing environmentally conscious buildings by installing solar panels and water heating to his projects and his own home in Los Altos Hills.
Mr. Malek has been involved in numerous professional and community organizations including Architects, Designers, Planners for Social Responsibility (ADPSR), the U.S. Green Building Council, the San Jose Green Building Committee, the Co-op America Business Network, the Los Altos School District Facilities Planning Committee and the Planning Commission for the City of Los Altos, California.
He currently serves as the Vice President of the Forest Theatre Guild in Carmel, California and was a Co-Founder of the Hamish Tyler Foundation for Dramatic Arts at Robert Louis Stevenson High School in Pebble Beach, California and the Central Pacific Association for Sustainable and Responsible Development in Costa Rica. |
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