Plans
for a project at Blue Ridge Drive and Cave Creek Road
will incorporate HFH’s new smart building program.
“We’re
moving forward,” said Linda Raish, director of the Desert
Foothills chapter of Habitat
for Humanity International.
“We’re
going to try and recycle 100 percent.”
HFH,
which builds homes for area residents in need of adequate,
affordable housing, now strives to build energy‑efficient
and durable units at the lowest possible cost. Raish explained
the smart building program hasn’t really increased costs,
since the process begins during the design phase. Also,
she said while a particular item could cost a little more
to purchase, it may save the homeowner
money when it comes to monthly utility bills.
As
part of the new program, only energy‑efficient appliances
are installed, and water conservation and passive solar‑heating
strategies are integral in the design of homes, according
to a press release from HFH.
The
release goes on to state the organization is using a technique
known as “Optimized Value Engineering,”
which designs and builds “simple, modestly sized houses
that use less lumber and reduce material waste.”
For
the current project, HFH will reuse and recycle leftover
building materials. According to HFH, local Bashas’ volunteers
constructed green recycling bins where discarded construction
lumber, plastic and metal materials will be stored.
Raish
told The Desert Advocate it only makes sense that, if
HFH is going to “go green,” they should have a green site.
“Habitat
for Humanity International really encouraged this through
partnerships,” said Raish. “We definitely can’t afford
to pay anyone more money; therefore, we have to be smarter
about our building.”
For
more information, visit www.hfhdf.org.
