Elderly Housing Addition Going Green
The Muscogee Nation Housing Division is going green with one of its latest housing projects. The project is the second phase of an existing 24 unit Elderly Housing addition and will utilize some of the most recent advancements in energy efficiency.
The project will use Structural insulated panels (SIP) for the basic construction. Structural insulated panels (SIPs) are high performance building panels used in floors and walls, and provide a significant advantage over traditional building material in both energy efficiency and speed of construction. The panels are typically made by sandwiching a core of rigid foam plastic insulation between two structural skins of oriented strand board (OSB). SIPs are manufactured under factory controlled conditions and can be custom designed for each home. The result is a building system that is extremely strong and energy efficient. Building with SIPs generally costs about the same as building with wood frame construction, but when you factor in shorter on-site construction time and less waste, SIPs are cost effective. One of the main advantages of using SIPs panels are the resulting savings in home heating and cooling costs. The fact that the Muscogee Nation operates it's own SIPs manufacturing plant adds even more to the cost effectiveness.
Each duplex unit will be equipped with the latest in Geothermal Heating and cooling systems. Geothermal heat pumps (GHP's) take advantage of the stable earth temperature, about 45 - 58 degrees F just a few feet below the surface, and help to keep the indoor living area at a stable and comfortable temperature. GHP's circulate water or other liquids through pipes buried in a continuous loop (either horizontally or vertically) next to the building. Depending on the weather, the system is used for either heating or cooling and uses very little electricity and is easy on the environment.
Installing high efficiency windows will add to the energy savings since an average home can lose up to 30% of its heat or air-conditioning energy through its windows. Each unit will also have Energy Star rated appliances which generally use 20%–30% less energy than required by federal standards. The units will also have tankless water heaters. According to the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, water heating is the third-largest expense in most homes, accounting for 14% to 25% of a home’s expenses. Unlike a traditional tank that heats a reservoir of water 24 hours a day, a tankless unit activates only as needed for even more energy efficiency.
The Muscogee Nation received the funding for the project as a competitive stimulus grant in which the tribe opted to develop affordable housing for the elderly. The grant is part of The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
