Habitat for Humanity Montreal Home Awarded LEED Canada Gold Certification

A First for Habitat for Humanity Montreal

(Montréal, Quebec) April 18, 2011 – On March 31st Habitat for Humanity Montreal (HFHM) was awarded Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Canada Gold Certification by the Green Building Council of Canada for its Ste-Clotilde project. LEED certification is a first for a HFHM home.

LEED is a third-party certification program and an internationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction and operation of high performance green buildings. It provides an immediate and measurable impact on their buildings’ performance. Certification is based on the total point score achieved, following an independent review, with four possible levels of certification (certified, silver, gold and platinum).

While care is always taken to ensure HFHM homes are energy efficient, the St. Clotilde project was an opportunity to utilize many non-traditional products and systems and demonstrate our belief that the highest standards of energy efficiency and environmentalism can be integrated into a Habitat home for the benefit of its occupants, Greater Montreal and our planet.

Receiving LEED Certification stands as testament to HFHM’s socially and environmentally responsible decision-making in the building process and our dedication to increasing the affordability of housing both in terms of construction costs, and the long term cost of operation. Benefits of a LEED home include lower energy and water bills, reduced greenhouse gas emissions, and less exposure to mould, mildew and other indoor toxins.

According to Isabel St.Germain Singh, Chief Executive Officer, Habitat for Humanity Montreal, “LEED certification demonstrates our deep commitment to sustainable design and leadership in building green and continuously looking for ways to make homes affordable to buy and affordable to live in. It is our hope that the LEED homes can become a model of how socially and environmentally responsible decision-making can ultimately provide more progressive and energy-efficient homes for families in need.”

About Habitat for Humanity Montreal

Habitat for Humanity Montreal (HFHM) is a non-profit organization committed to eliminating substandard housing. We build simple, decent and affordable homes in partnership with volunteers, donors and families in need. Since its creation in 1998, HFHM has built nine new homes in Montreal. Habitat is about affordable home ownership. It provides a long-term solution that breaks the cycle of poverty by giving a hand up, not a hand out.

About the Canada Green Building Council

The Canada Green Building Council was established in December 2002 to promote and accelerate the design and construction of high-performing, healthy buildings, homes and communities. In addition to promoting green building principles and benefits, the Council holds the license for LEED in Canada.