Jade Homes
JADE Homes is an affordable, energy efficient housing development that will provide housing to homeless families and low-income families earning less than 50% of area median income. This project will acquire foreclosed properties and rehab them for subsequent rental to low-income and homeless families at affordable rental prices of no more than 30% of their income. We will provide supportive services to these families to ensure that they are able to get back on their feet and become self-sufficient, contributing members of the community. All homes will be LEED certified. According to information on the Green Building Council's website, "'LEED' is an internationally recognized certification system that measures how well a building or community performs across all the metrics that matter most: energy savings, water efficiency, CO2 emissions reduction, improved indoor environmental quality, and stewardship of resources and sensitivity to their impacts. Developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), LEED provides building owners and operators a concise framework for identifying and implementing practical and measurable green building design, construction, operations and maintenance solutions." The homes will be Section 504 accessible and will be stocked with 100 % ENERGY STAR rated appliances as well as efficient sealed-combustion boilers, lighting fixtures and recyclable carpeting. This will lead to an estimated 30% decrease in energy use. The decrease in energy use will reduce utility costs for JADE Homes' residents. The homes will also be equipped with dual-flush toilets, 2-gallon-per-minute shower heads and 1.5-gallon-per-minute sink faucets to dramatically cut back on the homes' water use. The lack of fireplaces, along with continuous background ventilation, will keep the air healthy. The builders will use low-VOC (volatile organic compounds) paints, cabinet finishes, sealants and adhesives. A very important Green design feature will be the use of foamed-in-place insulation which results in an extremely tight building envelope and prevents heat from leaking during the winter and entering during the summer. Another vital aspect of this Green Building project will be the use of wind turbines designed for urban use. The turbines will harness the power of wind to create energy output. We believe capturing this renewable energy will prove cost-effective for the families living in the JADE Homes and will be an innovative use of Green technology.
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