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In about a month, Greensboro will join Asheville, Durham and other cities in offering a one-stop place for home and business owners to find green building materials. Four Branches Green Building Center will open on South Chapman Street in a former bedroom furniture store located next to Music Barn on South Chapman Street. The center store will sell a range of items at varying price points, including low-VOC paints, reclaimed hardwood flooring, vinyl-free wallpaper, recycled glass tiles, and formaldehyde-free countertops.

The project was undertaken by Trish Sutter, a remodeler, and Michelle Kennedy, a real estate agent, who both live in the Westerwood neighborhood in Greensboro. The 6,000 square-foot commercial space will include the store as well as office/meeting space for other green businesses and organizations.

Kennedy said she and her partner purchased supplies from Sapona Green Building Center in Wilmington when they renovated their 1925 American Foursquare house this year.

"You have a lot of people in this area who are committed to sustainable design, but there's not one place you can go to meet all your needs," she said. "There needs to be a place that's focused on efficiency and environmental responsibility for your building needs."

Kennedy said she believes the two chose a good location for the store since it's surrounded by Lindley Park and other neighborhoods where people are interested in green living. The platinum LEED-certified Proximity Hotel and regional green building associations have also brought attention to the need to build and renovate with better materials.

Kennedy said she would like for the space to become a hub for green businesses in the area, offering monthly classes and a resource lending library. The owners are offering inexpensive sublease space (Call Kennedy at 202-8421, if interested). The store will initially house an energy auditor and massage therapist.

Kennedy admitted that she is nervous about opening a store during a recession, but said:  "I feel like somebody's going to do it. It might as well be us. It's time."