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by Jill Barrett
Social service agencies are in the business of helping people. One agency is also in the business of helping the environment. St. Louis Arc, an agency devoted to supporting people with developmental disabilities, recently needed to build a new house for six of its clients. Alan Broddon, a volunteer board member and designated project manager, was instrumental in getting the agency to build an eco-friendly house under the supervision of board member and building committee chairman, John Napoli.
“It is my opinion that we all need to face the reality that energy costs are going to continue to increase as part of our gross national product as long as we continue to import more than one-half of our energy needs,” said Broddon in an e-mail interview. “The development was built green because of our deep belief that conservation and environmental issues are a real concern and are issues that should be addressed and practiced.”
Among the features of the green house is a maintenance-free exterior. The masonry and pre-finished metal need nothing done with them in the years to come. The house will not need painting, which reduces pollution, according to Michael Rea, director of development and community relations at Rainbow Village (a division of St. Louis Arc.
Other green features include low-emission paint and woodworking, extra insulation in the outside walls and attic, and automatic water faucets on all the bathrooms and kitchens. The highest efficiency heating and air conditioning available also contribute to the environmentally-friendly house.
“Most are green for the sake of efficiency.” According to Rea, the board of directors felt working with a green design could offset the costs of building green over the life of the building.
“My best estimate for this development was a 15 to 20 percent greater cost to build green than to be built in a conventional manner,” said Broddon. “The good news is that this extra added expense should repay in five years, and the years following that are a dividend. Later in the interview, Broddon said. “Green for homes is all so new. Calculations that have been done by others and national statistics indicate we can expect about a 40-percent reduction in the total cost of utilities for a home this size.”
The initial cost of the house wasn’t the only obstacle involved in its building. Being one of only 11 developers in the St. Louis area working on green development, finding an architect, environmental engineers and mechanical engineers that were experienced in the green concept was “a challenge,” according to Brodden. So was finding right contractors who had the expertise to execute the plans and specifications.
The advantages, however, flow down to the clients as well. In addition to fewer emissions, the interior of the house is more comfortable, with more sunlight and cleaner air. Marilyn Yeager, an occupant of the house, is vocal about what she likes about the house when asked. “I like looking at people walking around outside. I like the shower. It’s easy to get into,” said Yeager. And emphasis on green issues will continue to benefit clients.
“Most important of all is that we will continue to educate our consumers about the importance of being aware and environmentally concerned,” concluded Broddon.
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