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southern lights
orchard
gardens
acme
gold dust
lenox flats
high sierra
fireweed court
strawbale homes
emma court
best
practices
charrettes
1% for art
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DEVELOPMENT
BEST PRACTICES
HOUSING
VISION
homeWORD’s
holistic approach to affordable housing grew out of the simple
notion that you cannot build for the future by destroying the environment.
Green building is emerging as an important strategy for addressing
the loss of biodiversity caused by the development of housing,
long recognized for its taxing consumption of energy and materials
and significant production of waste. For example, one quarter of
wood harvested in the world is used in the construction of buildings.
Overall, construction consumes more than 40 percent of the world’s
energy and raw materials and accounts for 44 percent of the waste
in our landfills. All homeWORD projects include strategies for
smart land use, resource and energy efficiency, waste reduction,
and community sensitive design to name a few. homeWORD’s
values demonstrate a belief that achieving sustainability through
green building techniques means paying attention to social equity,
environmental conservation, and strengthening the local economy.
APPLYING THE VISION
Each homeWORD
project builds on the past experience of the previous projects,
and the subsequent green features demonstrate a growing understanding
and knowledge of green building practices. See the innovations
and sustainable features listed on each development's page for
examples.
ACHIEVING THE VISION
homeWORD
believes that by developing affordable housing using green building
principles,
it models appropriate solutions for the construction industry and
helps transform the housing market in the Rocky Mountain West.
homeWORD leads a summer series called the Sustainability Tours,
which highlights efforts around Missoula to infuse sustainability
into buildings and into the community. It attracts a diverse group
of people from throughout the region, including contractors, developers,
homeowners, renters, seniors, and students. homeWORD also works
closely with the Rural Collaborative, a regional housing corporation
founded to expand resources for affordable housing in small cities
and rural towns in the West. As a founding member, homeWORD is
advocating to incorporate green building criteria into the Rural
Collaborative’s Loan Fund. homeWORD’s vision also includes
promoting policy and regulatory reform to state agencies that encourage
the adoption of green building concepts in their affordable housing
grants and loans. Through applying green building principles to
affordable housing, homeWORD hopes to create fundamental changes
in a community’s social fabric and its sustainability.
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