Saturday December 12, 2009
What if each month your utility bill was $0.00? That seemingly unbelievable concept is true for the new EcoMod house in Charlottesville.
The ribbon cutting at 104 Elliot Avenue celebrates the environmentally-friendly and sustainable home that's been more than a year in the making.
The University of Virginia's EcoMod program along with Habitat for Humanity and others, designed the house so you don't have to turn off the lights, or turn down the thermostat to decrease your monthly utility bill.
It works with a Geo-thermal system that uses heat from the ground to heat the house. The solar panels on the roof will convert heat into energy, too.
There's a possibility that the house will produce enough energy for other Charlottesville residents to use. The utility will then pay the homeowners of the Eco-House for the energy boost.
The family who will live in the house put money toward it, but the goal of the house is to show that sustainable living can be attainable for anyone.
"That's what we're working for: affordability and sustainability," says Dan Rosenweig with the Habitat for Humanity. "I believe affordability and sustainability cannot be separated."
Eco-friendly, affordable housing? It could be here on a larger scale sooner than you think.
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