8.6% of household income on energy – and as high as 30% depending on location, climate and income – as compared to a 3% average for non-low-income families.
The latest innovations in energy efficiency are often beyond the financial reach of builders and residents of low-income housing even though they can deliver long-term energy security for those who most need it. Habitat Bend-Redmond works closely with Earth Advantage energy raters to optimize our energy performance in balance with our budget, analyzing costs for each “green” element, from tape for air sealing to ERV systems to heat pumps and solar.
In collaboration with the Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance (NEEA) and working with Earth Advantage, Habitat for Humanity Bend/Redmond determined that the use of newer, lighter triple pane windows in our 27th Street Townhome project were a cost-effective solution to improve envelope performance and saved approximately $4,300 per home compared to alternative envelope solutions while meeting the same energy requirements.
Grace Weger will describe two Habitat for Humanity projects in the Bend-Redmond area, comparing and contrasting technology solutions and budget impact in pursuit of net zero energy goals.
