Mayfield-Graves County Habitat for Humanity, Inc., a western Kentucky affiliate of Habitat for Humanity, International, announces their partnership with the University of Kentucky - Lexington to develop a housing model that uses net-zero energy technologies to increase energy efficiency.
Teresa Cantrell, President of the affiliate tells the examiner.com that, "We are bringing innovative energy efficiency technologies to the affordable housing market."
The architecture students from the University of Kentucky - Lexington are working under the tutelage of Gregory Luhan, Associate Dean of Research for the College of Design, School of Architecture. Luhan and his students received national recognition for their design work on a net-zero energy house during the 2009 Solar Decathlon sponsored by the United States Department of Energy. Luhan says he looks forward to helping to raise awareness by showcasing energy efficiency and affordability. He tells the examiner.com, "I have a great group of students and they are very interested in working on these prototype projects."
The project will involve students from both high schools and the area technology center. Cantrell says it is important to help the students understand their role in the future. "By encouraging these students to take an active role in this project they receive hands on experience in project management, construction, marketing, fund-raising and economic development. These students will be the guardians of our energy resources in the future, this project will hopefully help them understand the responsibility of that mission."
Local leadership hopes that this plan becomes a model for other affiliates around the nation. "If we can show that energy efficiency can be affordable within the Habitat for Humanity affordability model, we can help increase consumer demand, thereby driving down the costs of energy efficient products and services as new competitors enter the market", says Cantrell.
Habitat for Humanity, International is the eighth largest residential home builder in the US, according to 2009 Builder's Magazine Top 100 list. (http://www.builderonline.com/builder100/2009.aspx)
For more information on the green build contact the Mayfield-Graves County Habitat for Humanity, Inc. at 270-356-2552. Visit their website: http://www.habitat.org/cd/kit/homepage.aspx?page=mayfieldgraveshabitat
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