Why Habitat for Humanity’s Newest Homeowner Might Never Pay an Electricity Bill

[eridani]

http://www.nationofchange.org/why-habitat-humanity-s-newest-homeowner-might-never-pay-electricity-bill-1375884073

Lakiya’s house started out two years ago as an entry in the Department of Energy’s biannual Solar Decathlon. Dubbed “Empowerhouse” for the competition, it was an ambitious concept brought to life by engineering and architecture students from Stevens Institute of Technology, Parsons The New School for Design and Milano School for International Affairs, management and Urban Policy, many of whom had never even wielded a hammer before attempting this elaborate construction project.

The team’s dream was to build a solar-powered house that could not only compete with the most cutting-edge technologies out there, but was actually affordable and something ordinary people would want to live in.

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Velez remembers the excitement he felt when Lakiya’s home passed the passive house test.

“I just remember thinking, we did it, a non-profit, affordable house developer can do this, even using volunteers with no construction experience,” said Velez. “And then I started thinking, what’s everyone else waiting for?”

“As much as we can afford, we would like to have the highest standard of energy efficiency available for our homeowners,” said Susanne Slater, President and CEO of D.C. Habitat for Humanity. “Our whole mission is to provide affordable housing to low income families, and if homeowners pay less in energy costs, that helps us reach that goal.”

[msongs]

1. excellent news - combines several good things, energy efficiency, affordable, and an NGO that actual

ly does good things most of the time.

the $200K cost is not that high really.

[mbperrin]

2. Habitat is a wonderful group, and really sound principles.

We do volunteer some now, but looking forward to much more in retirement.