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Habitat for Humanity Builds a Green Neighborhood (The Journal Record)

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OKLAHOMA CITY – Northeast Oklahoma City’s Hope Crossing looks like any other suburban development. Look closer. It’s green.

The Habitat for Humanity community will have 217 homes by 2012, 80 of which have been built. The average home has 1,300 square feet. Each is equipped with a geothermal heat and air system, some have solar panels, and all are LEED-certified. 

ClimateMaster, OG&E and Guaranteed Watt Saver donated services and supplies to make Hope Crossing green.

“We thought it was time for us to get involved in our community a little more,” ClimateMaster President Dan Ellis said.

Ann Felton, chairman and CEO of Central Oklahoma Habitat for Humanity, said she did not think Habitat could afford the $10,000 heat and air systems at Hope Crossing.

“I wanted to see what else we could do,” Ellis said. “I talked with OG&E and asked them to partner with us to not only do geothermal but upgrade the windows, insulation and lighting and make these state-of-the-art, energy-efficient homes.”

Ellis donated the systems and in March 2008 OG&E bought solar panels for two Hope Crossing homes. Each house was fitted with 12 solar panels at a cost of $25,000.

Guaranteed Watt Saver does the LEED inspections and waives all administrative fees for Habitat.

“They have all been a great blessing,” Felton said.

Additional features like Low E glass and energy-efficient insulation help the homes be even more efficient.

Ellis said the homes at Hope Crossing use an average of 80-percent less energy than other Habitat homes.

“We’re giving the homeowners that savings for the rest of their lives,” he said.

The homes at Hope Crossing sell for about $85,000.

Felton said other features of the development include a two-and-one-half-acre park to encourage families to play outside, walk, ride bikes and exercise.

The development caught the attention of Habitat CEO Jonathan Reckford in June, when he was in town for Hope Crossing’s second Builders’ Blitz. The event, part of a national Habitat program, brings in local builders to construct homes in about a week.

Reckford praised the green efforts at Hope Crossing and the partners helping make the project possible.

“Hope Crossing is going to be the largest green-build Habitat community in the United States when it’s completed,” Reckford said. “That’s something that is setting the tone and path for the rest of the country as well.”

Felton said she is considering other green Habitat neighborhoods. She said she is also proud that Hope Crossing holds a unique distinction.

“We’re the most energy-efficient builder in the state right now,” Felton said. “Our houses are where we’ve really focused on the environmental and energy-efficiency issues.”