Another Milestone for Habitat’s largest development in Canadian history

Habitat for Humanity Edmonton celebrated another six-plex dedication on July 30 at Neufeld Landing—Habitat for Humanity Edmonton’s largest build to-date and the largest Habitat development in Canadian history. The day was marked with six more families receiving keys to their new homes.

The development, located in South Edmonton's Rutherford community, will be home to 64 families when completed, and is named after Don Neufeld who has banked more than a staggering 15,000 volunteer hours with Habitat for Humanity—fitting that the largest build the organization has ever done honours the volunteer who has contributed the most hours. Habitat’s homes are built by volunteers like Don, alongside incoming families. Those who have been selected to live in the complex complete 500 volunteer hours as the down payment for their home.

To date, the 31 homes in Neufeld Landing are BUILT GREEN® certified, with the remaining 33 under construction that will also be BUILT GREEN® certified. Together, Habitat for Humanity Edmonton and Built Green Canada are working to build a sustainable, healthy future for generations. Breaking the cycle of poverty and building a sustainable, healthy future for generations to come is where the two organizations come together.

Beyond offering a healthier, more durable home with a lower environmental impact and choices on which “green” features a homeowner wants, BUILT GREEN® certified homes are also affordable:

• Homeowners enjoy costs savings in monthly operating costs with water, electricity, and gas bills. A home built in the Built Green Canada program should save a minimum of approximately 10% in annual utility bills compared to a code-built home. Cumulatively, the savings can be substantial. Better efficiency means long-term savings.
• Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) and Genworth Financial mortgage insurance rebates are available for BUILT GREEN® homes.
• BUILT GREEN® certified homes offer the benefit of longer-term durability through the efficient use of building materials and processes. This means a longer life for the home with lower maintenance costs. Durability options can range from engineered lumber that resists warping to extremely durable exterior features such as 30-year shingles.

The BUILT GREEN® program is third-party certified and includes energy efficiency, integrating the EnerGuide label through Natural Resources Canada, and goes beyond to include the preservation of natural resources, reduction of pollution, ventilation and air quality, and the improvement of home durability. As such, homeowners get a two-in-one: the EnerGuide label and the BUILT GREEN® seal, which are usually affixed to the furnace or electric box.

About Habitat for Humanity Edmonton: The organization has been giving a "hand up" to hard working families in need since 1991 and firmly believes that home ownership is the key to breaking the cycle of poverty and to building equity and hope for children. Since then, Habitat for Humanity Edmonton has served over 400 families and is now serving families in greater Edmonton and northern Alberta. The need for affordable home ownership has never been greater, and the opportunity to make a difference has never been more accessible. For more information www.hfh.org

Built Green Canada is headquartered in Edmonton, Alberta and since its inception in 2003, has completed over 24,000 BUILT GREEN® certified homes represented in Alberta, British Columbia, Saskatchewan, and Ontario—including the units in multi-storey projects, the total is over 26,350. Working with the residential building sector, Built Green Canada is leading the way in sustainability performance in residential home construction.