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For Homeowners
Why does Green Affordable Housing matter to you?
Green Affordable Housing offers homeowners a number of benefits. Housing with lower energy and maintenance costs will save homeowners money in the long run. Homeowner health will be improved with housing designed to avoid indoor air quality and mold problems. In addition, sustainable design strategies allow homeowners to contribute to improved air quality, water quality and many other environmental impacts.
What is Green Affordable Housing?
Green Affordable Housing is designed to meet multiple goals. First, it must be affordable. Systems design leads to high performance at the lowest first cost. Energy efficiency is also important so that low operating costs make houses more affordable over their lifetime. Housing cannot be made more efficient at the expense of occupant's health. Indoor air quality can be improved through ventilation design, construction systems, and material selection. Durability and low maintenance are critical issues as well. Long lasting systems and materials are more affordable in the long run. Green Affordable Housing also means selecting systems and materials with the least lifetime impact on the environment. Finally, housing must be well designed so it adds value to the community and makes individual homeowners want to stay and improve their property.
What does this web site offer you?
- General knowledge about green affordable housing. The site provides strategies, recommendations and resources to achieve affordable, energy efficient, healthy, and sustainable.
House Scale Strategies»
Assemblies Scale Strategies»
Components Scale Strategies» - Knowledge of what to ask for from your designer/builder. The site provides a list of specific design alternatives homeowners can use to discuss options with their designer or builder.
- Cost Analysis and Recommendations. The web site includes a systematic analysis of the costs and benefits of design alternatives at the house, assembly and component scales.
House Scale Analysis and Recommendations»
Assemblies Analysis and Recommendations»
Components Analysis and Recommendations»
Links
Housing
Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity: www.tchabitat.org
Minnesota Interfaith Council on Affordable Housing (MICAH): www.micah.org
Minnesota Homebuilders Associations: www.nahb.com/slassmn.html
HUD Minnesota: www.hud.gov/local/min/minhome.html
Manufactured Housing Institute: www.mfghome.org
Housing Minnesota: www.housingminnesota.org
Making housing component choices (remodeling and new construction)
Partnership for the Advancement of Housing Technology www.pathnet.org
Affordable Housing Design Advisor www.designadvisor.org
Consortium for Advanced Residential Buildings www.carb-swa.com
Energy and Environmental Building Association www.eeba.org
Energy Star Program www.energystar.gov
Efficient Windows Collaborative www.efficientwindows.org
Environmental Building News, www.BuildingGreen.com
Healthy House Institute: www.hhinst.com
Green Institute: www.greeninstitute.org
Built Green Colorado www.builtgreen.com
American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy www.aceee.com
Building Science Corporation www.buildingscience.com
Database for State Incentives for Renewable Energy www.dsireusa.org
Financing
Fannie Mae www.fanniemae.com
Freddie Mac www.freddiemac.com
Enterprise Foundation: www.enterprisefoundation.org
Energy & Environment
Minnesota Sustainable Communities Network (MnSCN) www.nextstep.state.mn.us
Build America Program, U.S. Department of Energy, www.eren.doe.gov/buildings/building_america
Center for Energy Efficiency & Renewable Technologies: www.ceert.org
Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Network (EREN), U.S. Department of Energy, www.eren.doe.gov/buildings
Worldwatch Institute: www.worldwatch.org
Minnesota Office of Environmental Assistance: www.moea.state.mn.us
Minnesotans for an Energy Efficient Economy: www.me3.org
Environmental Building News, www.BuildingGreen.com
Office of Building Technology, State and Community Programs (see Partnerships for Affordable Housing), U.S. Department of Energy, www.eere.energy.gov/buildings/documents/pdfs/doe_pfah.pdf
National Renewable Energy Laboratory www.nrel.gov
Rocky Mountain Institute www.rmi.org
Ecosa Institute www.ecosainstitute.org
Wisconsin Environmental Initiative www.wi-ei.org/index.html