CINCINNATI, OH - Three new Habitat for Humanity Greater Cincinnati homes on Larona Avenue in Avondale are the first in the region to receive green building certification under the US Green Building Council’s rigorous new standard, LEED v4.
Working with Sol design + consulting, the Over-the-Rhine based LEED for Homes Provider, Habitat staff, suppliers, volunteers and the homeowners crafted the homes to deliver increased energy and water efficiency and a healthy indoor environment, all with minimal environmental and cost impact.
The homes are standard Habitat models: 2-story, 3-bedroom, 1½ bath designs with efficient space utilization that Habitat has been building in the Cincinnati area for several years.
Sol design + consulting reviewed the plans and specifications and suggested strategies to adopt the new LEED v4 requirements, and consulted throughout the projects. “Habitat has been our pro bono client for green building consulting services since 2009”, said Sanyog Rathod, AIA, president of Sol. “These homes offered an excellent opportunity to raise the bar to benefit Habitat’s low-income families with LEED v4 implementation.”
New performance and sustainability features of the homes attributed to LEED v4 changes include very demanding energy and water use standards of EPA ENERGY STAR® 3.0: High efficiency HVAC systems, Ductwork and air handling equipment sealed virtually airtight, Controlled fresh air changes within the living spaces, WaterSense® very high efficiency plumbing fixtures, ENERGY STAR windows and selected appliances, 100% CFL lighting, Dense-pack “spider-type” fiberglass wall cavity insulation provides excellent air infiltration resistance and higher R-values than other blown-in or batt insulation materials, Continuous insulated sheathing on all exterior walls to reduce thermal bridging, R-40 attic insulation, and New guidelines to reduce and manage interior moisture.
Sol also provided a comprehensive battery of tests and inspections to assure every system of the homes actually performed as designed for efficiency, comfort and healthy indoor air quality.
Landscaping is another important aspect of LEED v4. Drought-resistant plants were selected, purchased and installed by volunteers from the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Gardens, a longtime Habitat partner. The Zoo team also planted a new grass variety that goes longer between mowing and requires little or no watering in the summer.
All three homes were awarded LEED Silver ratings under the v4 program. Habitat for Humanity’s vision of “a world where everyone has a decent place to live” is well realized in these new green homes, which offer their first-time homeowners next generation efficiency and livability.
About Habitat for Humanity International: Founded in Americus, Georgia, USA, in 1976, Habitat for Humanity today operates around the globe and has helped build, renovate and repair more than 600,000 decent, affordable houses sheltering more than 3 million people worldwide. Learn about Habitat for Humanity Greater Cincinnati at: habitatcincinnati.org
About Sol design + consulting: Sol design + consulting specializes in energy efficiency and green building certification services for developers, owners, builders and architects. Certification programs include LEED, ENERGY STAR, Enterprise Green Communities, NAHB National Green Building Standard, Passive House, Net-Zero Energy Building and other state and local sustainability programs. What sets Sol apart is 25 years of professional design and construction experience brought to green building consulting. The company has certified over 150 projects (5,500+ homes) in 15 states and internationally. More on Sol at: www.soldesignconsulting.com