The House

When this home is complete, Mr. Dalla will have one of the finest homes in this city. Using green construction methods, we have been able to build Mr. Dalla a highly energy efficient home that is going to last a lifetime. His home is going to be air tight, rot proof, free of mold and mildew, and free from termite damage for years to come. His energy bills will be extremely low, and maintenance and utility costs will be minimal. That said, green construction is obviously important to Habitat, it is important to the Southside, and it is important to Chattanooga.

–Ethan Collier, president and CEO of Collier Construction

The Mission

Habitat for Humanity of Greater Chattanooga has a mission to partner with volunteers and low income families to build affordable housing. Like Habitat’s mission, sustainability strengthens communities by transforming individual lives. And the story of Baja’s home reflects Habitat’s commitment to provide deserving families affordable and sustainable housing. The Dalla’s home will be Tennessee’s first LEED certified Habitat for Humanity house.

LEED

LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certified homes do not only feature compact fluorescent lighting, energy efficient appliances, and low VOC paint—these homes are built with a different set of priorities in mind. So that Baja’s home, for example, has a minimal impact on our shared environment and the Dalla’s cost of living.
To understand what makes Baja’s home green, look at Collier’s (re)source flyer.

The Party

To build Baja’s home, Chattanooga businesses rallied around Habitat and the Dalla family. Coptix, a web and graphic design firm, transformed their annual blow-out Christmas party into a fundraiser benefiting Habitat for Humanity and the Southside Habitat House. They named their party INHABIT, brought in 2,500 attendees, raised enormous support for Habitat, promoted sustainability in Chattanooga, and helped give a Sudanese refugee a new home.

The People

For the home to earn LEED certification, Habitat teamed up with local green-building leaders—architect, Thomas Palmer; green builder Ethan Collier; and local nonprofit, green|spaces—who all donated services and expertise to build Baja one of the greenest homes in Chattanooga.

The Build

Collier provided carpenters on site throughout construction to educate volunteers and Habitat staff about sustainable building practices. Here’s what volunteers and Habitat staff learned:

• Resource Management
• Advanced Framing
• The Insulated Crawl Space and Attic
• The Sealed Air Barrier
• The Rain Screen Siding System