BEVERLY HILLS—Not all general contractors are created equal. Local proof can be found in the form of Scott Johnson, president of Fussy Painting Inc. and Proenviro Construction Inc., who strives to incorporate environmentally responsible practices into his businesses.

Johnson, 47, lives and operates out of Silverlake. Born deaf, he worked hard to be able to talk and lip-read before he went on to attend California State University of Northridge. Soon after, he started a small window cleaning business.

But Johnson moved in a different direction after obtaining his painting license in 1991. Soon after, he discovered a passion for what he explains as a home improvement process to "brighten peoples' life."
Johnson also worked for his general contracting license so that he could build and remodel homes and buildings.
But what sets Johnson apart from your run-of-the-mill home contractor is not his self-initiative or his hard work, though he has both. It is his desire to help his customers understand and work toward the process of making their lives more sustainable.

"I drive everyday all over breathing in dirty air from smog, too many vehicles spewing out harmful chemicals and from exhaust pipes," said Johnson, who says that his inspiration to follow this unique path came in part from concern "with my and other peoples' health."

Johnson provides his clients with solar powered home systems, tactics to conserve water, and sustainable installed windows and insulations.
"Every client that I serve, I check around their house or building and give them recommendations to use les electricity, water, and gas," Johnson said. "I am hoping that those houses that are energy efficient and environmentally friendly will strongly influence other people to do the same thing in a 'domino effect' way."

Johnson himself, whose business is fast growing, runs all company vehicles on filtered wasted vegetable oil, found in any restaurant kitchen, to do his own part in preserving the environment.
But the general contractor turned environmentalist is not stopping there. "I have been doing a lot of researches and readings to come up with concepts that will make houses and buildings virtually self sufficient in electricity, water, waste recycling and gas," he said. "I would like to make that happen."