GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — It’s no secret there’s a growing need for inexpensive homes throughout West Michigan and Habitat for Humanity is looking to fill that need, while also supporting the environment.
Habitat for Humanity of Kent County is building nine new homes in Grand Rapids’ Baxter Neighborhood this year with a focus on energy-efficiency.
The homes will be all-electric and less expensive, thanks in part to the concrete Habitat is using to build them.
FOX 17 checked out the development on Diamond Avenue. It’s just a single structure, but there’s enough space for three families to live there.
Construction crews are using insulated concrete forms (ICFs) to put the structure together.
Habitat Kent says not only do ICFs cut down on costs, but also, they reduce onsite construction time while maximizing the structure’s durability and energy performance.
“Homeowners will have about a 50-percent, potentially more than a 50-percent, reduction in the cost to heat and cool the home, so the cost of ownership will be reduced. It’s also noncombustible construction, so the cost to insure the home is also reduced,” explained Gregg Lewis, the chief communications officer for the National Ready Mixed Concrete Association.
Developers are putting the finishing touches on these new homes, so Habitat hosted a block-signing ceremony giving community members the chance to write well-wishes and blessings on the ICF’s for the Habitat families before they move in.
The homes should be move-in ready in the spring of 2023.
“Habitat really focused on a decent, safe place to live and so now, not only just providing homeownership for these folks, but we’re providing it in a way that is always environmentally stable,” added Habitat for Humanity of Kent County Executive Director Bev Thiel.
Habitat partnered with several local businesses to help make this possible.
The project is also part of a wider initiative between Build with Strength and Habitat for Humanity International to build 50 sustainable concrete homes in 50 states over the next five years.
Habitat for Humanity has already built 47 of these homes in six states since 2021.
