Renew America Success Stories

Houston Habitat for Humanity Energy-Efficient Affordable Housing Partnership Contact: Rev. Michael Shirl Executive Director Houston Habitat for Humanity P.O. Box 8467 Houston, TX 77288-8467 tel: (713) 521-2816 fax: (713) 521-0251 http://www.houstonhabitat.org/

Description

The Houston Habitat for Humanity (HHH) Energy-Efficient Affordable Housing Program designs and builds energy- and resource-efficient homes for low-income individuals.

Its pilot project, an 1,100 square-foot low-income, energy- and resource-efficient house, was displayed at the 1996 National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) show in Houston, Texas. The home, which was built through a unique partnership among federal, state, corporate, academic and nonprofit entities, demonstrates the significant environmental and economic advantages that can be made available to low-income homeowners through the decision to use environmentally-sound building materials and furnishings.

When it comes to home buying, low-income individuals face significant barriers. Not only is the purchase price of a home a consideration, but the cost of utilities can pose an enormous problem. Department of Housing and Urban Development surveys reveal that low-income homeowners use a disproportionately high percentage of their income for utilities, as much as 20 to 30 percent compared to 10 to 15 percent for middle-income families.

The HHH home, employing technologies that make it 30% more efficient than comparable homes in the area, will result in an estimated reduction in monthly utility bills of $30. By reducing monthly utility bills, home ownership will become affordable to more low-income individuals.

All future homes constructed by Houston Habitat for Humanity will incorporate this home's efficiency features, including high-efficiency appliances, improved insulation, low-flow water fixtures and energy-efficient lighting.

The house uses proven, easy-to-install, cost-efficient technologies that are readily available in every community, so its design is easily replicable by builders and nonprofit groups across the country, proving that energy-efficient homes can be built at an affordable price.

Program Highlights

Efficiency Features

• Energy-Efficient HVAC (Heating, Ventilating, Air Conditioning) System. The system offers a programmable digital thermostat, high-efficiency furnace and upgraded duct insulation.
• Energy-Efficient Appliances. All appliances, including the refrigerator, washer, dryer and water heater meet or exceed the minimum national appliance energy standards.
• Insulation. The insulation used in the home was selected for local climate conditions. All exterior doors and the attic door are insulated, have weather stripping and air-tight thresholds.
• Energy-Efficient Utility Room. The furnace unit is located in a fully ventilated, non-air-conditioned, insulated space within the utility room. The furnace uses only outside air for combustion.
• Enhanced Solar Shading. The home is designed to reduce solar gain as much as possible, thereby reducing air conditioning bills. The home offers a covered front porch, two-foot roof overhangs and solar window screens. The house has a white vinyl siding and uses light-colored roofing shingles.
• Efficient Lighting. Energy-efficient fluorescent lights are located in the kitchen, and the exterior security lighting system uses photocell controls and lower-wattage bulbs.
• Water Efficiency. All fixtures use low-flow aerators to reduce water use.
• Other Environmental Features. Only low-VOC (volatile organic compound) paints and flooring materials were used in the house, and waste minimizing wood framing techniques were employed.

• The estimated $30 monthly reduction in utilities in Houston's hot and humid climate will lower the mortgage qualifying income requirement from $1,250 a month to $1,100 a month, qualifying hundreds of additional low-income families for home ownership who are at or below poverty levels.
• The energy- and resource-efficient measures selected are readily available, require a minimal cash investment of $1,800 and have an estimated 8-year payback.
• The Energy-Efficient Affordable Home will be monitored for one year using equipment and techniques pioneered at Texas A&M's Energy System Laboratory and the Texas State Energy Conservation Office. Monthly analysis will reveal overall cost-effectiveness of the features.

Vital Statistics

Program Management/Partnerships: Habitat for Humanity worked with numerous agencies, businesses and organizations in the development of the home, including the U.S. Department of Energy, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the Oak Ridge National Laboratory, the Texas State Energy Conservation Office, Texas A&M's Energy Systems Laboratory, National Association of Home Builders, Alliance to Save Energy, the Florida Solar Energy Center, Habitat for Humanity International, Houston Lighting and Power Company, Browning-Ferris Industries, Carrier Corporation, Frigidaire, Henderson Electric, Home Depot, Honeywell, L.D. Brinkman, Marek Brothers, Morrison Supply, Quality Cabinets, Schuller International, State Industries and Whirlpool Corporation.

Budget: The pilot 1,100 square-foot home was constructed for $35, 118.

Community Served: Low-income individuals working to own a home.

Measures of Success:

The demonstration home was the first to qualify for the Environmental Protection Agency's Energy Star Homes Program.

The home was demonstrated to more than 65,000 professional builders, vendors, media and contractors at the 1996 National Association of Home Builders show.

The program increased awareness among low-income families nationwide through a syndicated newspaper article appearing in the Philadelphia Inquirer and carried in more than 130 newspapers.

A 30-minute documentary, "Our House," was televised in a dozen major cities and reached an estimated audience of 14 million viewers.

An average investment of $1,000 for energy upgrades in the 3,000 homes built annually by HHH, our nation's largest low-income single-family home builder, would generate the equivalent of 100 person-years of employment. (This estimate is derived from a Department of Energy energy employment model.)

 Published: May 1997

Success stories designed by Mark W. Nowak

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