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Habitat for Humanity Tucson Builds Greenest Homes Ever
First Homes to Receive Pima County Green Certification
With assistance from Pima County, Habitat for Humanity Tucson has built the "greenest" homes in the history of the Tucson program. Habitat worked with Pima County Department of Environmental Quality and Pima County Development Services' Green Building Program to include gray water plumbing, increased energy efficiency, recycling of construction materials and other initiatives during the home-building process. These initiatives earned them an EPA Energy Star certification, the Tucson Electric Power Energy Guarantee, and the first ever Silver Certificates from the Pima County Regional Residential Green Building Program.
“We are excited to be the first recipients of the Pima County Silver Green Home Certification,” said Michael McDonald, Executive Director of Habitat for Humanity Tucson. “For quite some time now, we have been striving to make our building methods as energy efficient as possible. We recognize the value this adds not only to our homeowners with utility cost savings and sustainable housing, but to our environment and to our community,” McDonald stated.
In addition, after noting a need for basic environmental education to more fully understand the concepts incorporated into their new green homes, Pima County Department of Environmental Quality (PDEQ) worked with Habitat and other agencies to create an informational resource sheet, Tips for Desert Dwellers, and provided workshops designed to educate Habitat homeowners.
Habitat Tucson’s new green initiative includes many standards to ensure energy efficiency in Habitat homes such as architectural designs and building materials that increase insulation; these include, energy efficient windows, longer overhangs to allow more shade, sill seal caulk and spray foam around windows and exterior doors, compact fluorescent lighting, heating and cooling duct work sealed internally and tested to meet Tucson Electric Power energy guarantee standards, low-flow toilets and showerheads, landscape designed with drought tolerant plants with low water demand and trees located to maximize shade, and other items. These standards will save the Habitat homeowners money on utility bills and improve the environment by conserving resources and reducing emissions of air pollutants and greenhouse gasses.
“The Habitat homes were the first four homes to be certified of approximately 500 currently under design or construction in the County’s Green Building Program,” said Rich Franz-Ünder, Pima County Green Building Program Manager. “Habitat for Humanity is proving that affordable and sustainable go together, which is a very exciting model for our community,” he continued. In addition to providing the Regional Green Building Certification Program at no charge, Pima County is the only governmental jurisdiction in the United States authorized to review and inspect homes for “LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) for Homes” certification. Pima County Development Services provides the LEED for Homes third-party inspections for a fee and brings green home construction to area residents looking to lower utility bills, use less water, and improve quality of life.
Habitat for Humanity Tucson houses are designed to use 13% less water than the typical house and are about 30% more energy efficient than a code minimum home, which benefits the homeowner and the community as a whole. “Saving energy not only saves money, but improves our air quality,” said Robin Johnson of PDEQ. “When electricity is generated, power plants burn natural gas or coal which produces air pollution and greenhouse gasses that contribute to global climate change – so the less electricity we use, the fewer emissions are put into our air,” Johnson continued. Habitat for Humanity Tucson has made a policy decision to continue to pursue the Silver Certification through the County Green Building Program for every home they build which will continue to benefit the homeowners and the environment for years to come.
Highest Particulate Levels Ever Measured on July 22
Remember when the mountains disappeared behind a wall of dust? The Pima County Department of Environmental Quality (PDEQ) reports that on July 22, the department’s air quality monitors recorded the highest levels of particulate matter (PM10) ever monitored in Pima County. An air quality advisory was issued that morning by the department and the filters were collected from the monitoring sites the next day to begin the time consuming process required by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to determine the accurate weight of the particulate matter captured on the filters. The PM10 (particulate matter that is 10 microns or less in diameter) reading at the Orange Grove monitoring site for Wednesday, July 22 was 270 micrograms/cubic meter of air. The EPA Health Standard for PM10 is 150 micrograms/cubic meter.
The previous high PM10 reading was 235 micrograms/cubic meter in 1999 and it also was measured at the Orange Grove monitoring site. Other PDEQ monitoring sites in Pima County also recorded exceedances of the EPA Health Standard on July 22, but at lower levels. Since the high readings from last Wednesday can be attributed to a natural event (a dust storm near Casa Grande) they probably will not count towards a violation of the EPA Health Standard. “In 2008, ninety-six percent of the time, our levels of PM10 are in the healthy range,” said Beth Gorman of PDEQ. “The days when there are high winds or forest fires tend to be the times that we have unhealthy levels of particulates in our air and those at risk need to be cautious,” she continued. Numerous scientific studies have linked particle pollution exposure to a variety of problems, including: increased respiratory symptoms, such as irritation of the airways, coughing, or difficulty breathing; decreased lung function; aggravated asthma; irregular heartbeat; nonfatal heart attacks; and premature death in people with heart or lung disease.
PDEQ currently monitors for five different types of air pollution and up-to-the-hour information on particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5), ground level ozone, and other air pollutants can be obtained from special instantaneous monitors at the PDEQ AirInfoNow.org website or by calling (520) 882-4AIR
Back To School Eco-Smart & Wallet Wise
How can parents save money, save resources, and do something good for the planet while getting the kids ready for school? Pima County Department of Environmental Quality suggests trying one or two of the tips below to be eco-friendly and save money. Some tips require up front costs, but will last for a long time and reduce the need for future purchases while eliminating waste. Others will need a little extra initial planning and will reap significant benefits throughout the rest of the school year. All of the tips are a teaching opportunity to highlight the importance of conserving financial and natural resources.
Pack a “No Garbage Lunch”
Think reusable, refillable, and precious resources. It’s hip to be green now, so lay in the supplies for a no garbage lunch. Use a lunch bag/box/pack and fill it with refillable containers. You can even go chic with a washable and reusable cloth napkin or bandana to wipe that peanut butter off. Fewer plastic or paper bags and napkins to buy and our landfills will last longer. The water used to wash the reusable items is less than the water used to manufacture disposable items.
Carpool, Bus, Bike, or Walk
All of these are good choices for clean and green ways to travel. Bike maps are free and available at bikeped.pima.gov/Publications.html or call 740-3345. Check out the ride guide for Sun Tran trip planning at www.suntran.com or call 792-9222. The bus is a bargain and there are reduced prices for some students! Walking saves pollution and offers a cardiovascular boost. Parents can organize a “walking school bus” in your neighborhood to pick children up as the group walks by their home. Parents can alternate leading the group each week and the combined savings in gasoline and air pollution will benefit everyone.
By the way, International Walk to School Day is Wednesday, October 7th, 2009. Celebrate walking and biking to school as a means to promote health, safety, physical activity, and concern for community and the environment. Contact Pima County Department of Transportation at 243-1977 for more information and remember to ask how to form a walking school bus in your neighborhood and how your school can celebrate Walk to School Day.
The Wheels on the Bus (and Car) Go Round and Round
Riding the bus saves gas when compared to driving and reduces traffic congestion around school, but kids may be exposed to fumes that have been linked to rising asthma rates. Talk with your principal about creating a “No Idling Zone” around the school. Are there areas where bus drivers and parents sit in their vehicles and wait for the kids? Encourage No Idling Zones at your school where drivers turn off their vehicle’s engine while waiting. They will save money on fuel, as idling gets 0 miles per gallon, and we will all breathe easier.
It’s in the Bag
If last year’s lunch boxes, backpacks and other containers are still in good condition, use them again this year instead of buying new. You will save money, natural resources, reduce pollution, and teach your kids a valuable lesson about using resources wisely. Old backpacks too beat up for carrying books to school can be reused for other things like storing jumper cables and a first aid kit in your vehicle’s trunk.
Make it Green
Those lists of school supplies can be overwhelming and a stretch on the wallet. Buy and use recycled products when you can; the prices are going down and many are comparable to virgin products, plus the kids think they are cool. Have you seen the cardboard notebooks, Capri Sun juice box backpacks, recycled money pencils, and old school lunchboxes? They all help close the loop by reusing and recycling materials collected. A refillable pen or pencil will long outlast a regular one and is much more sustainable. Taking inventory before you shop will also cut down on purchases; do you really need a new ruler, or a pack of 68 pens?
“New to You” School Clothes
Use reclaimed fabrics and “previously-owned” garments to help kids create their unique vision of "green" fashion. Hand-me-downs, up-cycled vintage, and thrift stores are great ways to get hip threads at very low costs.
For More Information
Incorporating a few new eco-smart tips into your back-to-school routines will pay off in many ways. Pima County Department of Environmental Quality promotes a healthy environment and encourages carpooling, busing, biking, and walking to reduce air pollution in our community. For additional information on ways to go green, please contact PDEQ at 740-3343 or visit www.deq.pima.gov.
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