QUESTION: How does Loudon County Habitat build “green?”

Habitat for Humanity is well known worldwide for building simple, decent, affordable homes in partnership with low-income families. But what’s not so well known is our commitment to “building green” by making sure those houses are energy efficient.

Here in Loudon County, we build all our houses to meet TVA’s “Energy Right” standards.

But wait . . . aren’t the terms “simple” and “affordable” incompatible with “energy efficient?” Doesn’t it cost a lot more money to build an energy efficient house?

The answer to both questions is “no.”

With a little extra scrap lumber and plywood, for instance, we build a dropped ceiling that positions the main heating and air ductwork within the house’s living space, and drops the air vents near the bedroom doors rather than next to the windows. A few extra tubes of caulk help seal all penetrations through the floor and walls, making the house significantly more airtight than standard building practices call for.

We also help our homeowners learn to use ceiling fans, exhaust fans, thermostat settings, water heater settings, and other devices to lower their energy bills low while keeping their home comfortable.

Building energy-efficient homes is just one way we help maintain our environment.

Over the past eleven years our Habitat Home Store in Lenoir City has become a favorite shopping spot for bargain hunters, treasure seekers, and low-income families who confirm the wisdom that “one man’s trash is another man’s treasure.” To keep the Home Store stocked, donors from throughout Loudon County and the surrounding area drop off their unwanted clothing, furniture, appliances, and other household items, or call for these items to be picked up in our 15-foot panel van—a retired and recycled Frito-Lay delivery truck.

We use the proceeds of our Home Store to build more houses, but there is added value in donating and reselling unwanted items. Using a generally accepted formula based on gross sales, our Habitat Home Store kept an estimated 216 tons of material out of area landfills in 2006 alone.

Habitat for Humanity recycles more than unwanted household items. We also recycle land. When a property owner defaults on tax payments, when heirs need to dispose of a family home in poor condition, when generous donors want to transfer an unwanted lot, we’re able to purchase the lot at a greatly reduced cost or receive it as an outright donation. We then demolish an existing building, restore the lot, and build a new home for a low-income family. Not only will the family now have an affordable, safe, comfortable home to live in, but also the neighborhood will be improved and the lot will be back on the property tax rolls, generating income for the county.

Since1992, our Habitat homes have added more than $4 million to the tax base of Loudon County.

In 2006 we were able to purchase 18 acres near Highway 72 and Steekee Road and are now developing a new subdivision we’ve named Hope Haven.

Architects and development engineers worked with us to design a neighborhood with environmentally friendly green spaces, drainage, natural vegetation and other features usually found only in modern, upscale neighborhoods. These features will have a lower impact on the environment than standard designs and will give our new subdivision more of a ‘neighborhood’ feel. Not only will this design save us money, but it’s also the right thing to do.

Habitat for Humanity’s basic mission is to help low-income families in need of adequate shelter. These are families who have come on hard times—as a result of personal decisions, tragedy, illness, or misfortune. They’re motivated to make a better life for themselves and their children, but need a bit of a helping hand, a little guidance, a little encouragement from those who care. We offer an opportunity for them to build a new life—to recycle their old way of living and turn it into a new hope for a better future.

Posted 12/18/07