47 Comfort Home Remodeling Design in the United States

Team 105 Poster

Team Reflection

Comfort Home Remodeling Design is a company that specializes in remodeling houses that is located in Chicago Illinois. They want their home renovations to be more sustainable for their clients. They emphasize the use of non-toxic, recyclable, and environmentally friendly products whenever it is possible and they also want to minimize waste throughout their projects. They use recycled wood, non-toxic paint, and energy-efficient appliances. Helping homeowners create lovely, comforting environments without causing environmental damage is the company’s mission. Their dedication to recycling during repair work, enhancing energy efficiency, and employing sustainable materials are important factors (THE 17 GOALS | Sustainable Development, n.d.). From our perspective, we think it is a good thing that they put saving the environment first and reusing materials particularly in the field of this industry. Seeing a company that encourages sustainable practices will hopefully inspire others to do the same in the remodeling industry. Although this can be a good solution there could be issues such as if all homeowners can afford this or does this only work for people who have money for the repairs. This calls into question whether sustainable methods are equitable and if all homes can take use of such eco-friendly choices.

Throughout the process of this project, we were able to connect certain course-related concepts to real-world situations. In this case, we were able to dive deeper into the concept of business sustainability and see how it is actively applied to our specific company. With interviewing the owner of Comfort Home Remodeling Design, we were able to learn about what they are currently doing to not only build a sustainable business, but a sustainable environment as well. We were a little bit surprised by the story because we learned how this construction company is able to do their part in using non-toxic and environmentally friendly materials to work towards their goal of being energy efficient. Learning this information somewhat challenged our assumptions of what businesses should be doing because it seems difficult and much more expensive for businesses in the construction industry to worry about using environmentally friendly products. Overall, this project significantly helped to make that real-world connection to our course material.

In our experience learning about Comfort Home Remodeling Design, we were able to learn the importance of sustainability in business and the way that different cultures view environmental responsibility. This aligns with what we studied about balancing profit, social issues, and environmental care, known as the triple bottom line. We realized that sustainability is essential for modern businesses and that they have to be able to adapt to a range of cultural values and consumer expectations. Comfort Home’s use of eco-friendly materials and waste reduction demonstrates how these concepts can be put to use, reinforcing our classroom learning. As a result of this cross-cultural experience we were able to recognize that understanding cultural perspectives is a necessary tool for effective sustainability efforts. Ultimately, this experience has encouraged us to think critically about incorporating these lessons from our course into our future careers. This emphasizes how important it is to support businesses that not only prioritize environmental responsibility, but social impact as well.

Course learning has helped with our teamwork when working on this assignment because we learned that Comfort Home Remodeling Design is a sustainable company which uses eco-friendly materials and reduces waste. It was also a tool that guided us on our decision to use the company. Understanding this we were able to evaluate their processes and comprehend their significance. Also, learning about effective teamwork and communication in our lectures made it much easier for us to share ideas and stay organized. What we found worked for us was dividing tasks based on our strengths, which led to better overall results. Ultimately, the course learning equipped us with the concepts and skills that we needed to work together effectively and obtain greater understanding of sustainable business practices.

The work was conducted by splitting the tasks equally amongst the team and making sure that everyone got to do what they’re best at. For example, some of us in the group are better at talking to people while others are better writers. Interacting with people was an important trait while conducting the interview with the owner of the company, so that was the assigned task for that trait. For those with the strength in writing it was useful for them to do some of the reflection, and help edit and give feedback to those in the group who needed it. We also conducted this assignment in a way that was very collaborative. We wanted to ensure that everyone was happy with the quality of work. Our Monday meetings would allow us to share our work while also giving constructive criticism to each other.

While doing this assignment there were certain aspects of our COIL project that went incredibly well, while others weren’t so easy. Some of the things that went well was that we split the tasks evenly. This allowed us to cover a lot of work quickly because we did our best to assign tasks based on each team member’s strengths. Another thing that went well were the regular meetings that we held. We decided on meeting every Monday around 11:30am Eastern Time seeing as it was a convenient time for everyone in the group. This made communication easier and would allot a period of time where everyone could ask questions and be clear on what tasks they needed to complete. We had open communication which allowed us to share our ideas openly and also give feedback when necessary. Everyone felt comfortable sharing their ideas, making our assignment move smoother. There are always some challenges that come with virtual collaboration. One of the struggles were team members having busy schedules, which made it hard to find times to meet outside of our regularly scheduled Monday meetings. This was the main component that slowed us down a little.

Individual Reflections

Erick: 

Working on this assignment was both a challenging and rewarding experience. From the start, we knew that collaborating across time zones and finding a schedule that worked for everyone in the group would be difficult and test our ability to work together as a team. Initially, I was worried that my busy schedule might prevent me from contributing fully and that finding a time for everyone to join a video call would be challenging. However, we quickly adapted, using weekly video calls and text messages to stay in touch consistently. Throughout the process, each team member brought different perspectives and unique skills that enhanced our approach to this assignment. Although coordinating our efforts remotely presented obstacles, these challenges helped us build stronger connections within the team. Flexibility, open communication, and mutual respect became essential aspects of our collaboration. Reflecting on this assignment, it was an immense accomplishment that we achieved together as a team. Overcoming these challenges not only allowed us to successfully complete the project but also deepened our understanding of effective teamwork. This assignment highlighted the importance of adaptability, patience, and continuous communication when tackling large projects. I am very grateful for this opportunity, as it allowed me to develop new skills that will be useful in the future.

Daisy: 

Throughout this project, I feel that our group encountered several difficulties as well as successes. For example, we had some challenges in terms of communication during the first couple weeks of the project. It was also challenging for us to find a day and time to meet weekly, considering the different time zones as well as each of our individual school/work schedules. However, being able to overcome these added up obstacles only made our team stronger. It was truly a pleasure having this opportunity of collaborating with these business students across the world. With a limited amount of time to complete this project, we were able to figure out how to work together and get things done efficiently. I also believe each member of our group contributed their best work to ensure that we provided a valuable finished product. Overall, this was a very challenging, yet rewarding experience and it was definitely something to learn from and grow as a team member.

References

THE 17 GOALS | Sustainable Development. (n.d.). https://sdgs.un.org/goals