More than 83 percent of the homes built in Dallas that are LEED certified are Dallas Habitat for Humanity homes.    

By Kristy Alpert    
    
Going green isn’t always just about benefitting the environment; it can also benefit your pocketbook by saving you some green. LEED certified homes offer homeowners reduced utility bills and improved long-term investment stability while also making a positive impact on the environment. But did you know this building practice can also be affordable? The Dallas Area Habitat for Humanity sure does!

More than 83 percent of the homes built in Dallas that are LEED certified are Dallas Habitat for Humanity homes. In fact, all the Dallas Habitat homes since 2004 have been LEED certified, Energy Star certified and EPA Indoor Air Plus rated, meaning they use at least 15 percent less energy than the average new home.   “Some people don’t realize the quality of homes that Dallas Habitat builds,” said Bill Hall, CEO of Dallas Area Habitat for Humanity. “Dallas Habitat builds affordable, high quality homes and by building LEED certified homes, we are helping to promote the ongoing affordability of the home.
   
The Dallas Habitat staff is proud to offer hope and homes for families, and by creating green homes, they can continue to save their Habitat families money in the long-term. “This standard of building reduces utility costs for homeowners and strengthens the long-term stability of the home, while improving the overall impact on the environment,” adds Betsy del Monte, board member for the Habitat for Humanity and principal and director of sustainability for Beck. “If an affordable homebuilder like Dallas Area Habitat for Humanity can do it, other homebuilders can as well.”

lance writer Kristy Alpert has been covering the green scene since before it was the “thing to do.” Her work has been featured in publications such as D Magazine, Omni Escapes, DallasChild, Modern Luxury, Home Comfort Style, Oregon Home, among others. When not crafting stories at her refinished Victorian writing desk, she can be found traveling the globe or scouring the bins at flea markets, searching for those diamonds in the rough. You can contact her at kristy.alpert@gmail.com or follow her on Twitter @kristyalpert.