Green Housing for People who Need it the Most
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Green Housing for People who Need it the Most

The Affordable Green Housing Center was launched in April 2008 as a major new program of Environmental Health Watch to promote healthy, affordable green housing.

Our approach to green housing promotes healthy indoor environments, increased housing affordability, positive environmental impacts, and sustainable communities. The Center will focus on the total lifecycle of the house in these action areas:

• Health
• Energy Efficiency
• Resource Conservation

Through energy efficiency and other resource conservation methods, new green construction and green retrofits of existing homes result in lower electrical, natural gas, water, sewer, and home repair bills.

Positive environmental impacts from green housing include reduced local air pollution, cleaner water, waste reduction, natural resource preservation, and decreased greenhouse gas emissions. Durable buildings that last a long time conserve resources and make the most of the energy that was used during construction. The average home is responsible for twice as much CO2 annually as a typical car. In this way, improved energy efficiency can help stop climate change.

Read the article about EHW's Affordable Green Housing Center in the Summer 2008 edition of EarthWatch Ohio.

More About the Affordable Green Housing Center

Our emphasis is on renovation and maintenance of existing housing. However, we will address new construction and deconstruction as well. The new Center will provide educational resources and technical assistance, foster partnerships and demonstration projects, and advocate for public policies.

The Affordable Green Housing Center was established to help address the multiple environmental, health and economic problems related to housing in Northeast Ohio, particularly for low- and middle-income families and communities.

• Homes can be a significant source of health hazards associated with lead poisoning, asthma, and other illnesses.
• The cost of housing and utilities continues to rise, straining the household budgets of a growing proportion of families. Utility costs - gas, electric, water, sewer - have a disproportionate impact on lower income residents. High utility bills increase the risk of evictions and foreclosures.
• Residential energy use is an important contributor to regional air pollution and global greenhouse gas emissions. Housing contributes 21% of U.S. carbon dioxide emissions.

More about putting neighborhoods on the path to healthy, green affordable housing

Mandy Metcalf is the director of the Affordable Green Housing Center, having most recently served as director for the Cleveland EcoVillage in the Detroit-Shoreway neighborhood. Matt Berges, a Cleveland green builder, is the Green Housing Manager for the Center. Jim LaRue, healthy housing and green building pioneer, is the Center’s building science consultant. Initial funding for the Center is provided by the Cleveland Foundation.

Current Projects

Building Strategic Alliances for Healthy Housing:
In September 2009, EHW received a grant from the Centers for Disease Control to engage stakeholders to integrate Healthy Housing considerations into the wide range of housing decisions and actions throughout the house life cycle. Alliances for Healthy Housing abstract

Green Cottages:
The Affordable Green Housing Center is providing assistance to the Cuyahoga Community Land Trust's Green Cottages Project. The Green Cottages demonstrate the realisitic and practical deosgn of eco-friendly living at a very affordable price. The cottages are energy efficient, foster a healthy environment, and have completely accessible features. Read about the Green Cottages.

Greening Your Home Series:
Learn how to make your home energy efficient and healthy.
Overview of Greening Your Home (.pdf)

Presentations from the February 2009 series:
Greening Your Home Session 1 (.pdf)
Greening Your Home Session 2 (.pdf)
Greening Your Home Session 3 (.pdf)
Greening Your Home Session 4 (.pdf)

To receive an email update when the details for future sessions are announced, please email Mandy Metcalf at Mandy's email and ask to be put on the interest list.

Useful Affordable Green Housing Center Resources:

• Technical Services Provided
• Energy Saving Tips for Your Home
• List of RESNET Home Energy Raters in Greater Cleveland area
• Overview of Greening Your Home (pdf)
• Jim LaRue's Greening Your Home Series
• List of Green Building Products within 500 miles of Cleveland, Ohio (pdf, 70 pgs.)
• Cleveland green housing projects (pdf, 16 pgs.)
• Compact Florescent Bulbs Factsheet

Other Resources

• Jim LaRue's Greening Your Home checklists
• Cleveland's Green Housing Handbook
• US Green Building Council Green Renovation Guide
• Cleveland Green Building Coalition
• E4S Green Resource Directory
• National Association of Homebuilders Green Home Initiative
• LEED for Homes
• Calculate and offset your carbon footprint locally at the Cleveland Carbon Fund
• EPA Tools to Cut Energy Costs and Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Homes
• 2009 IECC (International Energy Conservation Code) - building energy code that sets the requirements for energy efficiency for new homes and commercial buildings.
• HOME STAR, aka “Cash for Caulkers” - a proposed federal program that would provide direct incentives to American homeowners who invest in improving the energy efficiency of their homes.
• Catalog Choice- reduce unwanted mail and save paper
• US Department of Energy's Building America Program
• Musings of an Energy Nerd- Roofing and Siding Jobs are Energy-Retrofit Opportunites
• Local Deep Energy Retrofit Blog
• Compact Fluorescent Lightbulbs (CFL) Factsheet
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