Topeka's housing agency receives energy honor

Topeka Capital-Journal, The, May 15, 2008 by Mike Hall

By Mike Hall

THE CAPITAL-JOURNAL

Keeping Nancy Johnson warm this past winter and cool this summer will cost Cornerstone of Topeka less than $50 a month on average.

Johnson is one of Cornerstone's newest tenants, having moved into the front half of a duplex at 517 S.W. Western in January.

And the energy efficiency being built into homes funded through the city's Housing and Neighborhood Development Department earned the department a rare honor accorded by the federal Housing and Urban Development Department and the Environmental Protection Agency.

At a news conference at Johnson's home, John Askew, EPA regional administrator, and Macie Houston, HUD regional director, presented the award to Randy Speaker, director of the city's HND.

Warren Woodruff, rehabilitation supervisor for HND, said in a five-month period last fall, such duplex units were averaging $26.33 in energy costs. With the cold of winter and heat of summer the year- round average still should be less than $50 a month, he said.

Johnson's unit is 555 square feet and consists of a bedroom, bathroom and a combined living area/kitchen.

Barry McMurphy, Cornerstone's executive director, said part of the challenge of building the duplexes is making them fit onto vacant narrow lots between other houses and making them blend in.

The award given to the city is called the Energy Star Award: Excellence in Energy Efficient Affordable Housing.

Speaker explained that the Home Energy Efficiency Rating Standard established an energy-efficiency rating system, with 100 points considered an acceptable level. A lower score means better energy efficiency. Energy Star has lowered the acceptable standard to 85 points. Recent duplexes built by Cornerstone and by Breakthrough House are even more efficient than that, rating about 75.

Mike Hall can be reached at (785) 295-1209 or mike.hall@cjonline.com.