HUD Archives: News Releases

HUD Improves Housing Through Educating Consumers on Environmentally Friendly Technologies

WASHINGTON - The Department of Housing and Urban Development marked the commemoration of Earth Day 2002 with a series of consumer publications that highlight new technologies for improving housing through recycling and reuse of materials, alternative means of power creation such as conservation or conversion, and improved energy efficiency and sustainability.

"Educating people on the importance of recycling will not only create cleaner and more desirable communities, but will ensure a brighter tomorrow for our children," said HUD Secretary Mel Martinez.

The Technology Scanning pamphlets and brochures inform the public about technology developments in other industries as well as those from other countries, federal laboratories and other building sectors. They are published by HUD's Partnership for Advancing Technology in Housing (PATH), a joint public - private partnership to advance technologies in the housing industry.

The pamphlet on Materials Recycling and Reuse provides information on technologies that are made from environmentally attractive materials such as salvaged products, recycled content or rapidly renewable products, or products that use less material or do not deplete the environment. Soybean composite products and organic wall coverings are two examples of technologies that could provide more environmentally friendly alternatives to common building ingredients.

Another brochure, Energy/Power Systems Generation, is about alternative means of creating, conserving or converting power without using traditional gas, coal-produced electric or nuclear-based energy. Fuel cell technology, for example, combines hydrogen and oxygen to generate electricity and water. It is virtually silent and produces no pollution. Fuel cells can be used to power homes, offices, factories and vehicles.

The Sustainable Design Strategies brochure highlights technologies and land use orientation ideas that contribute to improved design efficiency, particularly as related to energy efficiency and sustainability. It notes that "urban micro-climate," the effect a cluster of homes has on each individual home, is often neglected in urban design. But proper street orientation and the layout of homes can have considerable effect on the shading, which affects the urban micro-climate and environmental performance of the homes.

A PATH booklet, A Guide to Deconstruction, is about the process of taking apart existing buildings carefully and then reusing the parts. This is not only environmentally friendly, but it can also provide job-training opportunities for low-income residents.

Copies of the publications, as well as information on other Technology Scanning brochures and pamphlets, are available from PATH at 451 Seventh Street, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20410 or can be viewed or ordered at PATH's website (www.pathnet.org).

HUD is the nation's housing agency committed to increasing minority homeownership, creating affordable housing opportunities for low-income Americans, supporting the homeless, elderly, people with disabilities and people living with AIDS. The Department also promotes economic and community development as well as enforces the nation's fair housing laws. More information about HUD and its programs is available on the Internet at www.hud.gov.

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