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Self Help Builder News March 2012 Volume 5 Issue #1 >
Green checklist initiative
An initiative has been in progress over the last 18 months with the Utah State housing, USDA Rural Development and HUD to establish a green checklist to be used in the construction of affordable new homes in Utah. RCAC staff have facilitated and nurtured the initiative.
Two Mutual Self-Help grantees located in Provo and St. George, stepped forward as volunteers to demonstrate the viability of increased green standards, as well to track costs in their Self-Help building groups. Color Country Housing Inc. just completed their first group of homes using the stricter green building standards and received a 49 to 54 Home Energy Rating System (HERS) overall rating, which is excellent. Typical homes utilizing E-star or other green building measures have a HERS rating’s between 75 and 80. Color Country is still analyzing costs to determine the feasibility for future builds, as well as cost implications for all affordable units built in Utah. The Provo demonstration homes are not yet complete.