Low-Income Central Oklahoma Families Receive a Gift That Keeps On Giving

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Bridgette Oliver
Marketing Communication Manager
ClimateMaster Inc.
7300 Southwest 44th Street
Oklahoma City, OK 73179
Phone: 405-745-6000 ext. 319
boliver@climatemaster.com

ClimateMaster, Inc. provides geothermal heating and cooling units for Central Oklahoma Habitat for Humanity’s Hope Crossing subdivision

Oklahoma City, OK – July 22, 2008 - ClimateMaster, the world’s largest manufacturer of geothermal heat pump technology partnered with Central Oklahoma Habitat for Humanity during the 2008 Home Builders Blitz, May 31 through June 7 to provide geothermal heat pumps to the homes of the Hope Crossing subdivision in Northeast Oklahoma City.

Central Oklahoma Habitat joined more than 100 Habitat affiliates nationwide to complete some 263 homes simultaneously during the one-week Builders Blitz, but while Habitat provides affordable housing options, it cannot regulate utility costs in the homes. In response, Habitat has taken steps to make its homes more energy-efficient for homeowners.
ClimateMaster president Dan Ellis noted, “Rather than just a one-time gift of helping somebody out, you’re not only doing that, but they get the benefit year after year for the next 20 to 30 years over the life of this system.”
ClimateMaster geothermal heat pumps recover potentially wasted energy and direct it to where it can be more fully utilized and, in turn, provide a less expensive heating/cooling alternative for homes.

Habitat International CEO Jonathan Reckford commented while Habitat homes across the board are becoming more energy-efficient, Hope Crossing holds a special distinction.

"Hope Crossing is going to be the largest green-build Habitat community in the United States when it's completed," he said. "That's something that is setting the tone and path for the rest of the country as well."

The homes will also be certified by the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED), a third-party, independent verification system, which indicates a project is environmentally responsible in design.

Many of the Hope Crossing homes are also equipped with energy-efficient insulation, lighting and appliances, Low E windows and two of the homes finished in March even have roof-mounted solar panels.

In addition to providing geothermal heating and cooling units, ClimateMaster chipped in $10,000 to help cover the cost of roof-mounted solar panels for the two homes.

"(Homeowners) are going to save over $1,200 a year compared to a Habitat house built last year," said Ellis. "That is very substantial when you talk about affordability for these homes."

Ellis said based on the success of his Oklahoma City-based company, he wanted to find a way to offer utility savings to lower income home owners.

Ken Grant, managing director of marketing for OGE, said the Hope Crossing homes as a whole cost less than $90 a month to cool in the summer and less than $100 a month to heat in the winter.

"The heating and cooling bills of these homes are so much less than the typical home of this size," he said.

With about 45 completed homes in Hope Crossing, with plans to eventually have 220 homes, Ann Felton, chairman and CEO of Central Oklahoma Habitat for Humanity, said homes at NE 83rd Street and Kelley Avenue, sell for about $85,000 for a brick, three-bedroom, two-bath home, each with about 1,250 square feet.