DEA CORNS
Greensburg, Kansas, devastated by a 2007 tornado, will be rebuilt to
meet tough energy-efficiency standards. Greensburg also plans to
develop a 3- to 4-megawatt wind energy system, expected to produce
enough energy over the course of a year to equal the city's electricity needs.
construction of more than 1,400 Energy Star homes for low-income
families. These and other Energy Star-certified homes each reduce
greenhouse gas emissions about 4,500 pounds per year on average,
while cutting utility bills by $200 to $400 annually. Though Advanced
Energy doesn’t specifically target older adults, it is a good bet that
homes like these will be increasingly attractive to older adults as
energy prices rise and concern over global warming grows.
In winning the 2008 Energy Star Partner of the Year Award for
Excellence in Energy-Efficient Affordable Housing, the Nashville Area
Habitat for Humanity in Tennessee demonstrated that low-income
families of all ages can benefit from housing that is both affordable
and energy efficient. As Chief Operating Officer Gary Bigelow noted
in press materials announcing the award, “Energy Star-qualified
homes are comfortable, reduce utility costs and at the same time are
helping to reduce the risks of global warming.”
Habitat’s Energy Star homes in Providence Park, the nation’s
largest all-Habitat community, reduce energy consumption by
about 42 percent, cutting the average monthly utility bill for a
1,100-square-foot (102-square-meter) house to about $87. Various
architecture styles accommodate the community’s income and
demographic diversity, and Providence Park’s required 30 percent
open space creates an expansive neighborhood atmosphere.
The town of Greensburg, Kan., is also making progress toward
affordable, energy-efficient housing for all residents, including a
number of older householders who live alone. On May 4, 2007, a devastating tornado struck Greensburg and surrounding Kiowa County,
severely damaging or destroying more than 90 percent of the structures, including about 900 single-family homes. As homeowners and
businesses face a massive rebuilding effort, Greensburg has seized the
opportunity to require that new construction use the latest sustainable building practices. Before the tornado, more than a quarter of the
town’s population was age 65 and older.
Greensburg’s long-term recovery plan calls for “an up-to-date,
affordable rural community where housing plans and strategies incorporate energy-efficient design and materials and serve as a regional
and national model for integrating residents of all ages and needs with
services of all kinds.” In December the Greensburg City Council
approved a resolution making it the first U.S. city to require all municipal buildings larger than 4,000 square feet (372 square meters) to be
built to Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Platinum level standards. (LEED Platinum is the highest level of certification available from the U.S. Green Building Council.)
The renovation of older homes is another important need. (See
“Renovating for Aging-Friendly Housing,” page 48.) Nationwide, 63
percent of adults 65 and older live in homes built before 1970. For
these homes, substantial energy savings can be realized through
improvements such as better attic and window insulation, Energy Star
