distinction
George Shaeffer Construction Company
the Bachelor Gulch Residence The contemporary living room inside this Shaeffer Construction home features a ceiling comprised of Alder wood that has been certified by the Sustainable Forestry Initiative.
MOUNTAINSIDE LUXURY MEETS SUSTAINABILITY by Julie Edwards Making people’s dreams of a luxury mountain home a reality is the ultimate goal of Coloradobased George Shaeffer Construction Company. “Since 1979, our company has maintained a tradition of building the finest residences in the Vail Valley,” says David Hyde, vice president of the company. “Our objective is to provide a superior quality product that’s delivered through the highest level of professional service. We undertake a select number of projects at any one time to ensure each project exceeds our client’s expectations. Our company excels when working as part of a collaborative team and prides itself on creating a positive working relationship with our clients, design teams, and subcontractors while integrating our services to form a comprehensive process that results in a truly quality home.”
Hyde runs the day-to-day operations for Shaeffer Construction while George Shaeffer, the company’s founder, serves as president and CEO, setting the company’s strategic direction. “It’s very enjoyable to work with a client and develop a personal relationship during the course of building their home,” Hyde says. “Ours is a very intimate building approach—we seek inspiration from the client and focus on why they want to live here, how they plan to use their home, and what goals they want to accomplish. These are far more important questions than the size or style of a home.” Currently, the company employs 23 associates with an average company tenure that exceeds 17 years, a level of experience that helps set them apart from the competition. For the past decade, the company has been focusing on sustainable
building and now incorporates green elements into all its projects. In 2002, Hyde became a LEED-accredited professional and, since that time, has endeavored to incorporate sustainable techniques into all of the projects he has undertaken. Shaeffer Construction not only focuses on green practices for their clients but has looked within as well to implement a company-wide waste-management and recycling program. The firm has also focused on greening the business through products purchased, including a 10-kW photovoltaic system on the company’s headquarters. “I became interested in green building because it was very apparent that it’s a better and more rewarding way to build,” Hyde says. “Our company’s
april 2011
luxury home quarterly
137