Everyone feels the sting of higher energy costs at the gas pump and especially when the monthly utility bill arrives. A dramatic increase in any cost of living can undermine a working family’s desire to move ahead and provide a stable home environment for their children.

Habitat for Humanity has introduced new technologies and innovative strategies for the worksites where it builds. Decreasing the cost of energy in a new home insures that a family’s paycheck can go further, with a mortgage payment that is not threatened.

Green Building encompasses many building strategies. Chief among them has been the use of Spray-in-Place polyurethane foam insulation which provides a tight “envelope” for the house interior. Cool air in the summer and warm in the winter do not escape. With this method of insulation, cool air generated by air conditioner does not warm down as it travels through the ducts running through the attic. The unit does not work as hard to cool the house. Long time Habitat crew chief Lou Boudreaux observed that during a hot August, he climbed into the attic of a home under construction and noted that the temperature varied only a few degrees from that of the hallway. “I became a true believer then,” Lou reported.

By adding extra caulk and using higher rated heat pumps along with the insulation, Habitat for Humanity is now Energy Star Rated! Other practical ideas are saving money as well has helping the environment. Lighter roof shingles reflect heat. Houses facing the west (where the Texas sun can set for hours) do not have as many windows. Windows also are double paned and are vinyl, with a higher insulation value.

Volunteers and sponsoring organizations also pitch in. Sally Zuponcic, Director - Enterprise Systems Development for PepsiCo Business Solutions Group and the chair of the 2008 Women Build is excited about the new green and energy saving technologies that her company is initiating and that Habitat is using. “There are less paper products on the worksite and ancillary materials such as t-shirts are used for cloths and cleaning”, she notes. “Habitat has always provided volunteers with a hands on experience – a tangible demonstration of volunteer giving. With a world facing serious energy challenges – the added result of those experiences will insure that hard working families continue to reap the benefits of homeownership which before Habitat was beyond their reach.