Greening Homes and Rebuilding Post-Disaster

We’re highlighting small businesses from around the country as nominated by you, our readers. If your favorite small business is using Twitter to communicate with customers, let us know about it @fbsmallbiz with the hashtag #mysbc, and it may be featured as an upcoming Small Business Spotlight.

Small Business Spotlight: OceanSafe http://www.oceansafesteelsip.com/

Who: Vincent Basilice, CEO, @OceanSafe

What: Structural insulated panels for walls, roofs and floors

Where: Long Island, New York

When: 2005

How: Basilice who is an eye surgeon, was inspired to start his business after seeing years of hurricane devastation in Florida. Working with an engineer, he said he began working on designing houses using structural insulated panels, making the structures  energy-efficient, mold and termite-proof. The process can build a 1,300 square-foot home in less than 10 days.

“The panel system provides an affordable, easy-to-use building material,” he said. “It’s healthy, durable and energy-efficient.”

Since 2000, OceanSafe has been doing the same type of work in Iraq and South Africa, and has gotten involved in raising the homes on Long Island after Hurricane Sandy.

Quote from the owner: “I am a very hands-on CEO,” he said. “I have spent over three months in Iraq. Despite the economy in recent years, this has been the perfect timing for us, because of the interest in energy and green products.”