EPB & TVA Complete
200th Habitat House in Chattanooga
In eight short weeks, volunteers from EPB and TVA have completed a home for Theory Song and her children! Ms. Song's home, dedicated June 6, is the first Earth Craft Certified Habitat home ever built in Chattanooga, and the 200th Habitat home built here since 1986.
“We are always dedicated to helping the people of Chattanooga and we feel the Earth Craft project was not only rewarding for Theory but for us as well,” says Harold DePriest, EPB’s President and CEO. “We are so pleased that EPB was able to help build a house that is environmentally friendly because of its energy-efficient design.”
First of its kind here in Chattanooga, the Earth Craft house is a healthy, comfortable home that is highly energy-efficient and made from sustainable materials. Theory will enjoy significantly lower electric bills. In fact, she can expect to see savings of 30-50 percent in comparison to an owner of a standardized home of the same size.
“I am so thankful to EPB for their contributions,” says Theory. “Not only is my family getting a home, but we’re moving into an energy-efficient house that will put less of a strain on us financially.”
According to Greg Epperson of EPB, some of the energy efficient features factored into this home include:
TechShield was installed on the roof. TechShield is roofing material that reflects the sun’s heat from the home – it will allow only 3% of the heat to enter. Standard roof sheeting allows 90% of the roof’s temperature to enter the attic.
Cellulose insulation, which is recycled newspaper with a fire retardant, was used to insulate the frame walls, attic, and crawlspace walls of the home
Caulking was used around all electrical and plumbing penetrations, doors, windows, and framing joints of the exterior walls.
Low E double glazed windows were installed.
The walls of the crawlspace in EPB’s Habitat Home were insulated so the duct work is actually in semi- conditioned area.
No vents were installed in the crawlspace. The closed crawlspace with insulated walls creates a semi-conditioned area.
A Rheem Marathon electric water heater was installed.
A high efficiency electric heat pump was installed.
Installed hard pipe duct work instead of flex duct work.
Compact fluorescent light bulbs were installed in all of the lighting fixtures.
“This home is an important milestone for us,” says John Atherton, Executive Director of Habitat for Humanity of Greater Chattanooga. “We are grateful to EPB and TVA for helping us serve our 200th family, and for helping us explore new ways of energy efficient building as we look to the future.”
This is the second house EPB employees have built. The environmentally friendly home is located near Erlanger Hospital in a new Habitat for Humanity project that will eventually include seven Earth Craft homes.
