As the result of a $2.46 million research project, a low-income apartment community, Villages at Beechwood, in Lancaster, is set to become a model for sustainable housing for low-income housing nationwide in part by going solar.
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the California Energy Commission are providing the funding while the project is under the organization of the Electric Power Research Institute. The aim is to retrofit the Village of Beechwood to achieve near-zero net energy use, in part by using solar power.
In addition to the on-site PV system, expected to produce 145,000 kWh per year in electricity and 4,300 therms each year for heating water, other energy efficient features would be included. Among these are insulation, efficient lighting, ENERGY STAR kitchen appliances and smart irrigation controllers.
Brochure printers are involved in the distribution of numerous energy saving publications from a variety of agencies.
The anticipated energy savings are a reduction in electricity of 33%, gas usage down by 45%, and water for irrigating cut by 21%. So far, the energy reduction package has been applied to two apartments at the Villages at Beechwood, with a resulting 70% net energy saving.
Eight residents of the apartment complex are to receive green job training to retrofit an additional 28 units. The green job training will be provided by Everyday Energy and Labor Ready. After the retrofitting, those eight will be qualified for employment in the solar industry.
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44155 Division St
Lancaster, CA 93535
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