As the holidays grow near, TV viewers in Glendale can watch a true “miracle on 54th Avenue” as the Acosta family receives a newly constructed, healthy, green home from Habitat for Humanity Central Arizona. Glendale 11, the city of Glendale’s TV station, documents the Acosta’s transformation from living in public housing to helping build their own Habitat home. “Glendale’s Home Green Home” premieres at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 12.

Viewers will learn about the national rating system used to label this house at the highest level - platinum - by environmental builders. Glendale’s Community Revitalization Division used federal funds to acquire the lot and then partnered with Habitat to build the home. The Acosta family benefits from an interest-free mortgage, as well as lower utility costs because of the environmentally friendly techniques and materials used to build the home.

For more information on programs offered by Glendale’s Community Revitalization Division, call (623) 930-3670.

Emmy-Award winning Glendale 11 airs on Cox and Qwest Channel 11, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Glendale 11’s TV guide can be found at www.glendaleaz.com/glendale11 and also will list additional times of “Home Green Home.”

Photo Timeline

10/7/08 

Interior touches: It’s a little more than one week on the build and already the focus has become the inside of the house. The volunteers are making sure every detail is attended to before the dedication on Saturday, and even added a beautiful chandelier as a finishing touch.

10/03/08

Exterior prepared: Volunteers continue to assist in getting the house ready for the stucco application, which is scheduled next. The home will be special for many reasons, but it also will be unique because it is expected to reach the Platinum level of LEED certification, which will demonstrate that environmentally sustainable construction is possible when building an affordable home.

9/30/08

A home emerges: Just three days later and a home is taking shape quickly. Everyday the volunteers have been on the site to build along side Habitat staff and several contractors, who make sure the work is completed in a licensed way. Glendale has a strong history and partnership with Habitat as more than 40 homes have been built in the city to benefit low-income families.

Wall-raising ceremony 9/27/08

The next day: It was a special day today at 6601 N. 54th Ave. Habitat hosted a “wall raising” ceremony to celebrate the start of the two-week blitz build that will result in a new home for the Acosta family. The event included volunteers from the Arizona Foursquare Churches, who are donating the labor to build the home, along with many generous sponsors who have given materials to the project. Also on hand were Mayor Elaine Scruggs and Ocotillo District Councilmember David Goulet. Everyone in attendance was asked to sign the walls to give a special, personal message to the Acostas, who have lived for the past nine years in public housing managed by the city’s Community Housing Division.

9/26/08

The beginning: This lot at 6601 N. 54th Ave. was previously an underperforming property with many code violations. The landlord agreed to have the building demolished by the Community Revitalization Division and the city acquired the rights to the property, using CDBG funds. Now the lot is ready to be transformed into a home for a Glendale family through the efforts of Habitat for Humanity. The concrete slab has been poured, the water line attached and lumber delivered.

Project Timeline

This Glendale neighborhood was transformed over the course of two weeks. This two-week accelerated build project had hundreds of volunteers from Arizona Foursquare Churches, proud first-time homeowners and several corporate partners helping to make a difference.

When Arizona Foursquare Churches approached HFHCAZ about building their sponsored home “green”, they didn’t stop there. In a collaborative effort, this partnership knew they were on to something even better: “LEED Certified” with the possibilities of achieving a Platinum Level.

Having lived in Glendale’s public housing for more than nine years, the Acosta family is proud to become first-time homeowners. The Acostas, along with their two grandchildren they are raising, were approved for the homeownership program by Habitat for Humanity Central Arizona after a rigorous application process. They are overjoyed at the prospect of their home being affordable through an interest-free mortgage. They are also thrilled about lower utility bills due to building practices that are environmentally responsible.

About Platinum Level Building

Only 140 Platinum Level homes have been built and registered across the U.S. Another 749 Certified, Silver and Gold homes are also registered. The Glendale home will be the third Platinum home and the first “Affordable Housing” Platinum Level home in Arizona.

LEED, the Green Building Rating System developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), provides a suite of standards for environmentally sustainable construction. LEED certified buildings use key resources more efficiently when compared to conventional homes or buildings which are simply built to code. LEED certified buildings are healthier living environments, which contributes to higher productivity and improved health and comfort.

• CLICK HERE for an LEED chart of information.

These benefits do not come without a cost, however. Green buildings can cost more both to design and to construct when compared to conventional buildings. However, the savings for the homeowners are both immediate and measurable, especially with water and energy consumption. This house brings together several entities each making a significant contribution. The City of Glendale, through their Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program, partnered with Habitat on this property. This home is being built for the Acosta family by the Arizona Foursquare Churches and made possible by the generous contributions from Jenny Norton, Bob Ramsey and Schaefer Construction Company. After agreeing to underwrite a portion of the building cost, Jenny Norton and Bob Ramsey provided additional funding for the extra expenses related to building this home LEED certified.

Mark Schaefer, owner of Schaefer Construction Co., and HFHCAZ have also secured numerous in-kind partners to make this project possible: T & T Concrete Contractors Inc., Waste Management of Arizona, Whirlpool, BEST Landscaping, Alliance Plumbing, Sharp Drywall, and Square Care are some of the generous in-kind donors participating in this project.

The LEED program is designed to require third party validation to verify “green” construction. Habitat for Humanity Central Arizona is proud to distinguish themselves through their upcoming platinum build. Now as official members of the USGBC, Habitat Central Arizona looks forward to future building sites implementing LEED build practices.