Jan 15 2006
BASF Corporation today launched the www.betterhomebetterplanet.com website, a practical learning tool for builders, architects and homeowners about how to build homes that are 80% more energy efficient, disaster resistant, faster to construct and affordable.
The website features an interactive, multimedia presentation of the BASF Near-Zero Energy Home, part of BASF’s Better Home Better Planet initiative and now under construction in Paterson, N.J. Slated to open for tours in the Spring of 2006, the Near-Zero Energy Home has been selected by the US Green Building Council (USGBC) as a pilot test for the recently launched Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design for Homes (LEED-H) rating system.
Based on current estimates, the Near-Zero Energy Home will also achieve a Housing Energy Rating Score (HERS) ENERGY STAR® score of 93 – the highest rating received to date under New Jersey’s ENERGY STAR® program.
The www.betterhomebetterplanet.com website steps the visitor through the home using a systems approach that integrates the three key elements to high performance building – the building exterior, mechanical HVAC and solar power. The website allows the user to navigate the Near-Zero Energy Home in minutes and take from the experience real solutions and resources.
“The launch of www.betterhomebetterplanet.com and the demonstration home are in keeping with BASF’s long standing commitment to sustainable development and bringing cost-effective solutions to the building and construction industry - especially in cities like Paterson, N.J., where cost savings achieved through improved energy efficiency and low-maintenance durability are most needed,” according to Jack Armstrong, business manager for BASF’s Styropor® and expanded polystyrene business in North America.
Once the construction and demonstration phases are completed, the Near Zero Energy Home will be donated to the nonprofit St. Michael’s Housing Corporation as a home for a local family with a quadriplegic son. The project showcases elements of universal design to accommodate the family’s special needs.
BASF Better Home, Better Planet: Near Zero Energy Home-Paterson, N.J., strategic allies include: Chrisner Group; City of Paterson; Environmental Design + Construction magazine; GRAD Associates; Green Ideas; Insulspan; KBI Contractors; MBDC; Monotech; New Jersey Energy Star Program; Polysteel; St. Michael Housing Authority; Steven Winter and Associates; Sustainable Buildings Industry Council; New Jersey Chapter of the USGBC; U.S. Housing and Urban Development’s PATH Program; and the U.S. Department of Energy.