Solar Arrays Improve Quality of Life for INHS Tenants
INHS prioritizes the needs of the environment, with sustainability being at the core of its values. With smart construction practices and utilizing solar panel systems, the organization is doing its part to be energy efficient, enhancing the quality of life for its residents and its community.
Its 210 Hancock development, with 54 rental units, has solar arrays on its roof, a collection of multiple solar panels that generate electricity as a system. In the three years since installation, it has produced 196 MWh of electricity (that’s 196,000 KWh, the normal units you see on your electric bill) which is utilized by its residents. At 10 cents a KWh, that’s $19,600 worth of electricity! According to EPA standard numbers, that is equivalent to:
- 16,896,378 smartphones charged
- 344,783 miles driven by an average passenger vehicle
- 2,297 tree seedlings grown for 10 years
- 27 homes’ energy use for one year
Construction on all of its buildings and developments include these sustainability features:
- No tropical woods – avoids tropical deforestation
- Green Label Plus hard-surface flooring or Green Label Plus carpet – improves indoor air quality
- Low VOC paints – less solvents and air pollution
- Water Sense® toilets (use 20% less water than regular low flush toilets)
- 5 gpm aerators on lavatory faucets (use 75% less water than regular faucets)
- 75 gpm or less shower heads (use 20% less water than regular shower heads)
- Energy Star appliances
After the renovations of Ithaca City Apartments that included energy efficiency upgrades, long-time resident, Ossie Heath-Crump, said of her experience, “When I received my first utility bill, I thought it was a mistake because it was so much lower than before the renovations. This project has fed my physical, social, emotional and financial well-being. Thank you to INHS for making my home a better place to live.”
Routine Maintenance and Seasonal Tasks – An INHS Post-Purchase Class – April 22 (In-person)
