Empowerhouse is the result of the community efforts and Habitat for Humanity towards building homes that are sustainable and affordable. The Empowerhouse is a humanitarian step towards adopting a ‘green’ approach to everyday living and this project will have the initial construction of two such homes to highlight the cause. The first Empowerhouse will be a part of the Solar Decathlon and will be on display at the National Mall, whereas the second home will be built in collaboration with Habitat for Humanity in Deanwood (a DC neighborhood). The first Empowerhouse will be physically joined to the second in Deanwood after the Solar Decathlon is concluded. Although each of the homes can sustain independently, however optimum energy efficiency will be achieved when they both join together. This project will create awareness in trying to evolve new technologies to net-zero housing that are environmentally friendly in design.
The major ‘green’ aspect of the Empowerhouse is the fact that it requires up to 80 percent lesser energy for cooling or heating up a room when compared with a regular home. However, even if you compare it with a very high energy-efficient home, the Empowerhouse saves on 40% energy – all this is possible as it conforms to the Passive House standard (which is the highest international standard in energy efficienty). The Empowerhouses have very energy efficient electrical appliances, energy recovery ventilation, well-located windows for utilizing natural light, heat-pump technology and more, which leads to a drastically reduced electricity bill.
These houses do require more money to build, but the excess costs are made up through the reduction in electricity costs and the money spent can be recovered in 10-15 years. The Empowerhouse has a very modern and urban design, and it’s easier to construct as the building materials are already pre-fabricated. The Empowerhouse is a very futuristic sustainable house that enable families to contribute to the conservation of our Earth’s resources.
Via: Parsons
