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COA FACULTY AND STUDENTS HELP BUILD, PLAN AND DESGIN HABITAT HOUSES

Cleveland County Habitat for Humanity (CCHFH), some of the faculty and students at the University of Oklahoma College of Architecture, and other qualified volunteers are using their talents to provide ‘green’ houses for a great cause. They are putting their heads together to create affordable housing while also creating certifiably sustainable houses for those in need.

The knowledge donated by the student and faculty involved are of great value to the process. “To be affordable, the houses must have low utility costs and low maintenance costs as well as low construction costs,” says Bill McManus, chair of the construction committee at CCHFH and professor of construction science at the University of Oklahoma. “We are able to do this with creative building science based design and dedicated volunteers who pay close attention to detail. “

Josh Carson, an undergraduate senior in the College of Architecture is the project manager and Kevin Hill, a recent graduate of the construction administration graduate program and a current graduate student in architecture is the Sustainability Manager for the current house.  Some of the other faculty members involved in the committee are Elizabeth Pober, interior design professor and Charlie Warnken, regional and city planning professor.  David Sanders, an architect working for LWPB in Norman, is the project architect on the current house and is also a graduate of the College.

All of the houses are super insulated and very well sealed with very efficient HVAC systems. They are sided with fiber cement siding over a well designed system of house wrap and flashing designed to carefully manage water over the full life of the house. The interior floors are ceramic tile which should last the life of the house with little maintenance.
 
Cleveland County Habitat for Humanity is a nonprofit organization located in Norman that exists as a culmination of the volunteers and sponsors in our community. We are dedicated to making decent shelter a matter of conscience and action. For more information, visit http://www.cchfh.org.