Affordable Green: Atlanta Habitat’s Commitment to the Environment

From the beginning, Atlanta Habitat has maintained a commitment to sustainability and the environment in all of its home builds. As we celebrate Earth Week 2023, learn how the organization implements tactics to ensure a greener future while maintaining affordability for homeowners.

It’s Begins with the Framework

In a concerted effort to reduce waste, Atlanta Habitat house plans are designed to match how lumber is sold. By utilizing standard measurements of lumber – two-by-four, four-by-eight, etc. – in all of its home designs, boards don’t require trimming. This results in less work hours, lower costs and most importantly, less wood waste going into landfills.

The waste from each build is so little that, in its entirety, it fits in the back of a standard pickup truck – a far-cry difference from the dumpsters many other home builders fill and empty multiple times before the completion of a build.

Energy Efficiency

To the benefit of both the environment and homeowner’s electric bills, the organization strives to build energy efficient homes. To ensure maximum efficiency, Atlanta Habitat researched and implemented building science focused on air flow and air sealing, with the intent to reduce energy consumption associated with air conditioning.

While there are additional options available to further increase energy efficiency, including solar energy and other technologies, they are often costly for homeowners. Atlanta Habitat focuses on solutions that Jim Blackstone, director of construction, calls “affordable green.”

“We want to be the greenest we can, but not at the sake of our homeowners,” said Blackstone. “Everything we do is focused on how our homeowners can be successful for the next 30 years, so we’ve focused on air sealing and responsible use of materials for sustainability.”

Recycle and ReStore

Beyond the build, Atlanta Habitat implements sustainability in its ReStore practices. Donated items identified as broken or unusable, excess cardboard and styrofoam packaging, and spare metal parts and pieces are all recycled on-site or sent to a partner recycling facility to be restored and reused.

Between the total amount of items sent to recycling and items received via donation that may otherwise be disposed, the Atlanta and South Fulton ReStores have saved an estimated 17,000+ tons of waste from landfills.

Continued Commitment

Atlanta Habitat will continue to implement advancements in sustainable building science as a part of our pledge to support and benefit the environment and our homeowners – for a greener, affordable future.