Green Building

What is “Green Building”?
Green building or environmental building is an approach to building that seeks to reduce the impact on our environment of the things we build and the way we build them. That means that buildings are designed to reduce waste, use more energy-efficient and earth-friendly materials and building users get the benefits of healthier and safer indoor environments.

Energy Efficiency and Building Performance
— tends to focus on technological improvements including renewable energy to improve building perform-ance, comfort and affordability for
the user.

Healthy Buildings — focuses on the use of safe, natural and non-toxic products and materials to improve indoor air quality and ensure healthy and safe living environments.

Sustainable Building — uses earth friendly, recycled and reused materials to minimize waste and promote environmental sustainability.

Creating A Model Green Urban Habitat
At Habitat-NYC we believe that our mission to unite New Yorkers around the cause of decent, affordable housing for everyone is inextricably linked to the need to support safe, healthy communities and a sustainable environment. We seek to be a model green builder in the affordable housing industry and an advocacy leader in the growing green building movement.

Habitat-NYC’s Green Building Program
Building Performance with EnergyStar®
EnergyStar® labeled homes are part of a national program designed to promote energy conservation in consumer products and residential construction. A typical EnergyStar® labeled home uses 30% less energy than a conventionally built new home. Habitat-NYC has formed a partnership with the New York State Energy and Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) and the Partnership for Advancing Technology in Housing (PATH), with technical assistance and training form Steven Winter Associates, Inc. to design and build EnergyStar® homes that incorporate the following elements:
› Low-e (emissivity) EnergyStar® rated windows.
› Compact fluorescent EnergyStar® rated light fixtures.
› EnergyStar® rated appliances (refrigerator and range standard).
› EnergyStar® sealed combustion boiler with hot water storage tank.
› Extra air sealing to prevent air infiltration and heat loss.
› Better installed insulation and framing to reduce thermal bridging.

Healthy Homes and Indoor Air Quality (IAQ)
› Habitat-NYC homes incorporate environmentally-friendly finishes that are low-VOC, non-toxic and hypo-allergenic.
› Timer-controlled mechanical ventilation ensures an adequate supply of fresh air to maintain high IAQ.
› Whole-house natural ventilation reduces the need for air conditioning.
› Proper window specification and placement increase natural lighting and passive solar heating.

Sustainable Building Methods and Materials
Habitat is adopting LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification guidelines for deconstruction, waste recycling and reuse, water management and energy usage.

2007 Green Building Symposium
View presentations from the Habitat for Humanity’s Affordable Housing Green Building Symposium, which was made possible by the generous support of Mizuho Corporate Bank.

Click here to view the entire "Best Practices" presentation (8.3 MB).

Or click here to view presentations by area:
›Austin
›Denver
›New York City
›San Francisco
›Twin Cities

Click here to view the Family Partner Green Handbook Template (to be customized according to the specific building project).