Corporate

September 6, 2006

For Immediate Release
Distributed to Targeted N.C. News Media

Local nonprofit builds 1,000th house for low income families in North Carolina

Houses come with guarantee on energy use to be more affordable

WILSON, N.C. - Advanced Energy, a Raleigh-based nonprofit, recently completed its 1,000th house for North Carolina’s affordable housing market. Built in collaboration with the N.C. Housing Finance Agency and developer Wilson Community Improvement Association, the house was built using energy-efficient techniques and technologies, making the home even more affordable. All 1,000 homes were built to Advanced Energy’s SystemVision program requirements. This means the homes were built to specifications that go beyond N.C. building code requirements, and they are more healthy, durable, safe, energy-efficient and comfortable.

“Providing the best construction practices possible for housing is important to Advanced Energy,” said Brian Coble, director of Advanced Energy’s Affordable Housing Programs. “The success of our program has been through partnerships with fifty-six affordable housing developers throughout the state, and we plan to take the success we’ve had in North Carolina to other states in next few years.”

The goal of the SystemVision program is to build homes that are not only affordable to buy, but affordable to live in for low-income families. These energy-conservative homes can save homeowners 20 percent on heating and cooling energy. Per the 1,000 homes built, the energy saved to the state of North Carolina annually is 41,278 kilowatt hours, which is equivalent to not driving your car for 30,549 days.

"When you help a family earning fifty percent to eighty percent of median income buy a super-efficient, comfortable, affordable house as we do through the SystemVision program, you not only do the right thing for the planet and posterity, but you really make a positive and needed impact on their lives,” said Bob Dunham, manager of the N.C. Housing Finance Agency’s Home Ownership Investment. "Our partnership with Advanced Energy has been the key to our success in offering home buyers houses that are truly affordable, not only to buy, but also to operate and maintain over time."

Each home comes with a heating and cooling guarantee. If the home has exceeded its guaranteed energy usage for the year, Advanced Energy will pay the homeowner the difference. A comfort guarantee is also provided to ensure that the home is a comfortable place to live. If there is a problem with the comfort of the home an Advanced Energy staff person will be onsite to fix it. Based on research done by the N.C. Housing Finance Agency the wealth creation per home is $7,500. This amount takes into account the health benefits from the home, the energy savings to homeowner and the increased value of the house.

“WCIA recognizes the importance of providing quality affordable housing,” said Barbara Blackston, executive director of WCIA. “We are dedicated to giving low-income families opportunities to not only get a home, but get one that is going to be more affordable and healthier to live in. We work in the best interests of our residents in order to foster a sense of community and improve the living standards of our area.”

Each home is certified Energy Star compliant by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. In order for homes to be qualified for the Energy Star program they must conform to two standards: they must conserve at least 30 percent more energy than homes that were built in compliance with the 1993 national Model Energy Code and at least 15 percent more energy efficient than the state’s energy code.

Advanced Energy’s 1,000 homes are in 41 counties of North Carolina. At this point Advanced Energy mostly assists in building single-family homes, but would like to move into working with builders of multi-family and supportive housing. Along with N.C. Housing Finance Agency, Advanced Energy also partners with 26 different Habitat for Humanities in North Carolina to build affordable housing for low-income families.

About Advanced Energy
Advanced Energy, located in Raleigh, N.C., is a nonprofit organization that helps utilities and residential and industrial customers improve their businesses through incorporating new energy-related technologies. Its building science group works to make the spaces in which we live, work and learn exemplary [healthy, safe, durable, comfortable, affordable and environmentally sensitive]. Using building construction methods from its SystemVision program, Advanced Energy has collaborated with builders and developers to build more than 17,000 homes nationwide.

About the N.C. Housing Finance Agency
The mission of the N.C. Housing Finance Agency is to create affordable housing opportunities for North Carolinians whose needs are not met by the market. Since its creation in 1973 by the General Assembly, the Agency has financed more than 168,000 affordable homes and apartments, totaling more than $9 billion.

About Wilson Community Improvement Association
Wilson Community Improvement Association [WCIA] is a developer that has partnered with Advanced Energy to build 43 SystemVision homes, mostly in the Wilson, N.C., area. WCIA is dedicated to creating affordable housing, among other programs, to help the senior citizens, low to moderate income families and youth in their surrounding areas.