The Home Depot Foundation and Habitat for Humanity recently announced the national expansion of Partners in Sustainable Building (PSB), a five-year $30 million green building initiative that will help incorporate sustainable building practices in 5,000 green homes nationwide.
More than 135 Habitat affiliates across 42 states will receive 3,000 for each home built to ENERGY STAR standards and up to $5,000 for each home built to a higher green standard. The selected Habitat affiliates are expected to build 2,400 homes in 2010-2011.
Through the sustainable building program, participating Habitat for Humanity affiliates have already certified nearly 1,500 sustainably built homes nationwide. By incorporating practices such as creating a tight building envelope and using efficient, durable materials in the construction process, many of these homes achieved green building certification with little additional cost.
In many instances, the homes also benefit from landscaping projects that feature native plants, trees and other features that provide valuable shade and ground cover. The homes also include features that help them operate efficiently, including:
* High-efficiency appliances
* Water-conserving plumbing fixtures
* Programmable thermostats
* Low- and No-VOC paints
* Quality insulation and ventilation systems
You can keep up to date on the latest from the Home Depot Foundation by following their blog.
No Comments