By Andrea Rivera, The Arizona Daily Star, Tucson
Mar. 4--Two local nonprofit agencies won grants from the U.S. Green Building Council to build green homes.
The Community Partnership of Southern Arizona received $3,688 to have a 10-unit apartment complex built to Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, or LEED, certification.
"We are very, very thrilled," said Barbara Montrose, director of housing services for the agency.
The 10-unit Sonrisa Apartments have yet to be built and the Community Partnership of Southern Arizona, a regional behavioral health authority, won't break ground on the units for a couple of months, Montrose said.
Habitat for Humanity Tucson also received a $1,000 grant to have one Habitat home LEED-certified.
Homes certified through LEED must comply with energy and water efficiency requirements and other conditions that regulate indoor air quality, non-toxic materials and environmental performance.
Members of Montrose's housing team knew they wanted Sonrisa Apartments LEED certified before they applied for the grant, and said their building and the Habitat home will promote green affordable housing in Pima County.
When built, Sonrisa Apartments will serve low-income young adults with serious mental illness, Montrose said.
"We wanted a green building so that we could present it to young adults and make a difference in the future of our community," she said.
Contact reporter Andrea Rivera at arivera@azstarnet.com or 807-8430.
-----
To see more of The Arizona Daily Star, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.azstarnet.com.
Copyright (c) 2010, The Arizona Daily Star, Tucson
Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.
For reprints, email tmsreprints@permissionsgroup.com, call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA.
A service of YellowBrix, Inc.