Eco-friendly move

Habitat's first Metro area green home thrills owner


By Catherine Jun
The Detroit News
December 1, 2008

PONTIAC -- The new house on Ferry Street, though nondescript on the outside, is not your typical residence.

Inside the sky-blue structure are recycled carpeting, low-flow faucets and an energy-efficient furnace -- features that make it the most eco-friendly home on the block.

But for Camisha Byrd, 36, who moved in with her family last week, the best thing about the house is that it's hers.

"It's a wonderful feeling to just come home and know this is mine," Byrd said.

Earlier this year, Byrd and more than 200 volunteers built the single-story house, the first environmentally friendly home Habitat for Humanity has erected in southeastern Michigan.

With all the low-energy features, Byrd will cut her use of utilities 30 percent to 50 percent, saving her up to $1,000 a year.

"We are embracing greenness to the fullest of our capacity," said Sally LePla, executive director of Habitat for Humanity of Oakland County. "We're demonstrating you can build attractive, affordable green homes."

With the help of the Clawson-based building and design firm Gontina, the 1,200-square-foot dwelling was constructed according to the strictest standards set by the U.S. Green Building Council.

The building is awaiting LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification from the federal agency.

Using mostly local building materials, volunteers installed insulating panels, recycled laminate flooring and a gutter system that catches rainwater and stores it for garden hose use, said Scott Gronevelt, director of construction.

Materials and design work on the house also were donated. Habitat staff estimates total costs would be $150,000.

The organization plans on building 12 additional LEED-certified homes in the county by the end of 2009, LePla said.

Byrd, who works as a store cashier, said she and her two children, Myles, 6, and Mya, 4, had been living in a cramped two-bedroom apartment in Waterford Township that was drafty in the winter and often leaked gas.

To pay for her new house -- Byrd's first -- she received a no-interest loan from Habitat, with monthly payments of $450 to $500.

"When they gave me the keys ... I walked through and I'm like, 'Wow.' And I started to cry," she said.

Byrd said she's eager to clear the cardboard boxes from the living room and assemble the Christmas tree, right in front of the window.

"It's going to be fun," she said. "It's going to be my first Christmas at home."