Giving people out of work a second chance…with affordable housing that's also earth friendly.
This house near downtown Greenville has all the bells and whistles of going green. And the best part is, it's also going to save its resident lots of cash
“It is the definition of a high performance home.”
Solar panels, high efficiency windows, compact fluorescent light bulbs...even a green bathroom.
“Every aspect of it is geared toward reducing energy and water use.”
Dean Benton of Benton Green Energy says this nearly 100 percent green home was built specifically to help people in need.
“The amount of money that they saved from the utility savings be available to them for other needs. Their child's education, going back into our community, that kind of thing,” explains Benton.
The home is so airtight that it features a device to help pump clean air directly into the home.
“Indoor air pollutants have to be removed based on national standard and that's what the ERV does.”
Another green benefit of this house is all the rain water collected in those rain gutters goes to an underground tank and then under this rock, a pump sends it to the landscaping system here in the yard.
“We wanted to build a house that was very efficient so they are not rent over burdened and they are not over burdened with their utilities.”
Joey Hudson with the Upstate Homeless Coalition is taking the lead on building more efficient houses for its residents.
“It just makes sense to us that if we can lower the operating costs, then we win and the tenant wins,” says Hudson.
The coalition focuses on getting people who are out of work into an affordable house.
“Not only are we going to be able to offer it at an affordable price, but they are going to be able to afford to keep it warm and keep it cool.”
Something Dean Benton says will pay off in the end.
“Yes it is a little bit more, but there’s a lot of support for going that route and it will save you a ton of money in the long run,” explains Benton.
The new "green" house is projected to have energy bills that total only 50 bucks a month. This home is just one of the more than 500 units in the Upstate the Homeless Coalition manages.
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