Green Build


Our “Green Building” Standards

At Habitat for Humanity of Palm Beach County, we define “green building” as using the most environmentally and health-friendly practices and resources available. Our homes are designed and built in ways that reduce waste and use energy-efficient materials, but we don’t stop there. We also utilize green practices in our administrative offices, ReStore and Thrift Store, making certain that we are as green as can be!

We build according to the stringent standards as set forth by both the Florida Green Building Coalition (FGBC) and Florida Power and Light (FP&L) BuildSmart energy conservation standards. Our “Green Building” Standards include:


Water Conservation

  • Tankless water heaters
  • Low-flow toilets and slow-flow shower heads
  • Rain barrel catch systems
  • Native, drought-resistant plants


Energy Efficiency

  • Energy Star appliances
  • Propane gas rather than electricity
  • Programmable thermostats
  • Exclusive use of compact florescent light bulbs
  • High-efficiency Carrier 24ABB air conditioning units
  • HVAC sealed duct system
  • R13 – value insulation
  • Thermal double-glazed windows


Healthy and Sustainable

  • Low VOC pain
  • Recycled and reused materials
  • Tree plans which keep as many trees onsite as possible, preventing erosion and improving air quality
  • Our ReStore kept 190 tons out of landfills in 2009 alone
  • Our offices use the Shred-It service, whose recycling practices save one tree for every two full containers and enables HFHPBC to save 12 trees annually

Construction

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