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Sustainable design meets affordability Advanced Energy and Self-Help to host groundbreaking and ribbon cutting in Durham, N.C. Durham, N.C. (October 22, 2007) — Self-Help and Advanced Energy are hosting a groundbreaking and ribbon cutting event on Monday, October 29, 2007 at 3 PM at 1020 and 1205 Kent Street in Durham to celebrate the start of construction on an energy efficient home and the completion of another. The groundbreaking at 1020 Kent Street will mark the start of construction by Self-Help on a sustainable residential design created by N.C. State University students who won first place in the N.C. Sustainable Design Competition, a local and statewide program facilitated by Advanced Energy and the Triangle Emerging Green Builders. The ribbon cutting at 1205 Kent Street will mark completion of Self-Help’s latest energy efficient affordable home, welcoming a new family to the Southwest Central Durham neighborhood. Self-Help is a Durham-based community development lender and real estate developer serving qualified individuals, organizations and communities traditionally underserved by conventional markets. Project partner Advanced Energy is a Raleigh-based nonprofit that works to create economic, environmental and societal benefits through innovative and market-based approaches to energy issues. The Triangle Emerging Green Builders are a committee of the Triangle Chapter of the U.S. Green Building Council, working to integrate students and young professionals into the green building movement. The completion of the 1205 Kent Street home marks the 35th home built by Self-Help that meets Advanced Energy’s SystemVision standards (as well as an ENERGY STAR rating) and includes a guaranteed low monthly energy bill. The groundbreaking at 1020 Kent represents a new step in energy efficient homebuilding for Self-Help. This home was designed by N.C. State University students who won the N.C. Sustainable Building Design Competition in April 2007. This house will incorporate new features such as foam wall panels, a manifold hot water system, all bamboo flooring and a properly closed crawl space. The N.C. Sustainable Building Design Competition began in 2000 as a way to encourage students in universities, colleges and community colleges to learn and apply the lessons of sustainable design and construction. Student teams design a home for a particular region in North Carolina incorporating a sustainable approach to design that includes energy efficiency, renewable energy, building science, indoor environmental quality, water conservation, materials selection, affordability and more. Working closely with industry professionals to create a practical and sustainable building design, the statewide winners see their design constructed. The 2007 winning team — students Emily Axtman, Katelyn Baird, Maria Hill, Will Lambeth and Josh Wheeler, along with mentor, Randy Lanou of BuildSense — will also travel to the national Greenbuild competition in Chicago this November. “In partnership with Advanced Energy, Self-Help for years has worked to make sure our houses are as energy efficient as possible. It’s good for our homeowners and good for the environment,” said David Beck, Self-Help’s policy and media director. “Beginning construction on this new home design is another exciting step forward in lowering energy costs for homeowners. We hope this can be a great model going forward.” “Energy efficient homes for everyone, and especially lower-income families, just make sense,” said Keith Aldridge, managing director of Advanced Energy’s Applied Building Science team. “We want to illustrate that everyone can have a healthier, safer, more durable, comfortable and energy efficient home.” About Advanced Energy About Self-Help
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