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Sustainable Building

Sustainable―or “green”―building means designing and constructing houses that are efficient and durable, that use less resources, are healthy to live in and are affordable.

Habitat builds sustainable homes using construction standards that pay attention to water and energy efficiency; safety and health; and materials conservation.

We build sustainably to take better care of our environment, our homeowners, and our volunteers. Our goals are to reduce the home’s monthly and life cycle costs and increase efficiency and durability while providing healthy environments.

Green Building

Green building is an approach to planning, constructing, operating and maintaining buildings that seek to improve the environment, health and financial aspects of what we build and the way we build.

This means designing homes to reduce waste, providing energy-efficient products and sourcing sustainable materials. Homeowners receive the benefits of a healthier indoor environment and increase affordability with reduced utility cost savings.

Energy Star Homes

Midland County Habitat for Humanity is proud to build Energy Star Plus Homes where our homes are typically 30-40% more energy efficient than homes built to standard residential building code. We were provided with a 5-Star Energy Efficient certificate for our recent home build with a rating of 44. This rating is considered well below average for home efficiency. It’s our goal and mission to continue building energy efficient homes making them affordable and efficient for our Partner Families to live in.

Features of an Energy Star home include: Energy Efficient Insulation, High-Performance Windows and Doors, Tight Building Envelope and HVAC Ducts, Energy Efficient Heating and Cooling Equipment, Energy Efficient Appliances and Third Party Verification.

Need Assistance With Energy Efficiency?

Consider the Consumers Energy Helping Neighbors Program.

Consumers Energy is one of the nation’s largest gas and electric providers, serving nearly 6.5 million of Michigan’s Lower Peninsula residents. The Helping Neighbors Program offers income-qualified customers free installation of high-efficiency measures and educational information to help save energy and money. In 2011, the program successfully provided free energy efficiency assistance to 1,500 households. In 2012, the program successfully provided free energy efficiency assistance to over 20,000 households.
The Helping Neighbors Program is part of Consumers Energy’s commitment to invest in energy efficiency, renewable energy, and environmental and customer service enhancements. We want to help you increase energy efficiency and save money!

    Construction Volunteer Schedule

    Monday through Friday
    9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

    MCHFH will provide necessary tools and safety equipment for each volunteer on the job site.

    All construction volunteers must be 16 years of age or older. Volunteers 16-17 must have a parent or guardian sign the Release and Waiver Form before arriving.

     

    What to bring:

    • Sturdy, closed-toe shoes (required)

    • Sack Lunch (if working all day)

    • Volunteer Paperwork

    • Any tools, sunglasses, etc.- that you would like to bring

    Volunteer Sign-Up
    Midland County Habitat for Humanity