The Green and Healthy Homes Initiative collects reliable data about our work. We are developing a new data-collection tool that can be used at all Green and Healthy Home sites, and we will continue to share data and results here.
GHHI Unit Data
Identified Barriers and Opportunities to Make Housing Green and Healthy Through Weatherization: A Report from Green and Healthy Homes Initiative Sites. Read the executive summary.
A Case Study in Baltimore
A Northwest Baltimore home built in 1925 is home to a mother and her two daughters, both of whom have asthma. The younger daughter, age 3, has been taken to the emergency room or hospitalized 13 times due to severe asthma attacks.
A work crew from the National Coalition to End Childhood Lead Poisoning, funded through the HUD Safe at Home Healthy Homes Demonstration Grant Program, assessed the property and found the following problems:
- Lead paint and lead hazards.
- Defective roof causing ceiling leaks, leading to chipping paint, defective ceiling conditions and mold accumulation.
- Defective bathroom tub and plumbing, and lack of caulking causing water leaks and mold.
- Water leak on a wall caused by inadequate roofing and improper gutters and downspouts.
- Air leaks, as well as a lack of pipe insulation and hot water heater blanket, leading to energy over-usage.
- Mice and roach infestation.
- No cabinet locks on kitchen or bathroom cabinets and a large hole in the living room floor.
The Coalition oversaw a coordinated approach to addressing the problems, and a single work crew:
- Replaced windows and stabilized chipping, peeling paint.
- Did integrated pest management for mice and roaches.
- Installed home safety kit, including smoke alarm, carbon monoxide alarm, cabinet locks, and electric outlet covers.
- Replaced front room flooring.
- Installed air conditioner, air filtering system in child's bedroom, and mattress and pillow covers on child's bed. Also provided HEPA vacuum and cleaning kit for regular usage to reduce indoor allergens and lead dust.
- Repaired plumbing leaks in bathroom and replaced bathroom tub; caulked around bathroom tub and faucet. Removed mold on bathroom walls and multiple ceilings throughout home.
- Installed energy-efficient windows.
- Installed hot water heater blanket, pipe insulation, and programmable thermostat. Sealed air leaks and replaced air filter.
- Repaired roof and installed impermeable, heat-reflective roof. Installed gutters and downspouts. Added weather-stripping and caulked exterior holes and cracks.
Following up, the Coalition made home visits and provided asthma management counseling and continued education on energy efficiency. The girls' asthma conditions have improved and have not required emergency room treatment for an asthma episode caused by asthma triggers since the GHHI intervention.
Bottom line: The project addressed all of the family's issues in an integrated, efficient manner, making a dilapidated family home healthy, safe and green.
Total cost: $15,444, which represents an estimated savings of $5,866 — or more than 25 percent — if the repairs had been done in a piecemeal fashion.
