Architecture professor David Hinson, who also teaches in the Master of Real Estate Development program, is re-thinking the way affordable housing can serve homeowners in the most economical way. MRED is a joint program of Harbert and the College of Architecture, Design and Construction.
To determine how the energy performance of small, single-family detached homes could be optimized within an affordable cost-to-construct and framework, the project focused on two homes built on the same street in Opelika, Alabama – one designed in spring and summer semesters of 2018, the second a year later.
For this project, Hinson joined team members Mackenzie Stagg, Elizabeth Farrell Garcia and Rusty Smith of the Auburn University Rural Studio and independent scholar Bruce Kitchell. The group will present their study, “Balancing Act: Seeking Equilibrium Between Cost and Performance in Housing Affordability” at the 110th Meeting of the Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture this spring.
For the project, researchers partnered with Habitat for Humanity, a CADC partner for more than 20 years. The research is tied to the Front Porch Initiative and the 20K Home project at the Rural Studio.
“If we can shift money off the utility bill and onto the mortgage at an advantageous ratio, we can improve the financial security of Habitat homeowners,” Hinson said. “If we can add 75 cents to their mortgage but cut a dollar off their utility bill, that means they’re putting money in an appreciating investment instead of putting it in a monthly expense. And that is good news all around.”
He said that with efforts to build greener affordable housing, it’s much more persuasive to have data that shows how strategic investments in building performance return a benefit to the homeowner.
When people hear about making homes, cars or other investments more energy-efficient, they presume the cost will exceed the financial benefit, Hinson said. This research shows focused, targeted ways to invest that translate into tangible, bottom-line benefits.
The group’s thesis is that the sector of the community that needs affordable housing would benefit from focusing on total monthly expenses — such as utility bills — rather than seeing the mortgage payment in a silo.
“If we can help move Habitat and its thousands of affiliates a step closer in adopting this total-cost of ownership model, as opposed to just the mortgage model, it will have tremendous impact just because
of the scale of that organization,” Hinson said.
He uses a familiar analogy: expecting to see fuel economy stickers on each vehicle while car shopping.
“With fuel economy, we’ve just absorbed it into our consumer culture. It becomes part of the decision,” he said. “We have not yet reached the point where the same thing is true about buying a house or making decisions relative to an insurance policy.”
If consumers can become aware of these issues in such a tangible way, builders and developers will be likely to build homes in this way, which translates to a marketplace advantage.
One more aspect of the study addresses ways to make these homes more resilient and resistant to damage from high winds, yet another way improvements in design and construction can offset costs.
The two houses profiled in the paper represent two different approaches to high performance to determine which had the best cost balance. The team will use those findings to prioritize elements of the way the houses are built and where the first investments should be made.
Green Makes Cent$ In The Long Run
