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Four Habitat for Humanity homes built here have a variety of green features—including Mohawk’s SmartStrand® carpet made with DuPont™ Sorona® renewably sourced polymer.

Mohawk contributed flooring for the ambitious project, called “Raising Roofs,” which involved Greensboro builders, Habitat for Humanity volunteers, and contributions from a number of building industry suppliers.

Four homes were built—from pouring the slabs to completion—in just one week.

A total of 17 people, including 10 children from the ages of one to 19, have moved into the homes and are enjoying an entirely new life.  The families have received a warm welcome from their neighbors and from the Village at Northside Homeowners’ Association, which worked closely with Habitat for Humanity from the beginning of the project.

The homes were using the National Association of Home Builders’ Model Green Home Building Guidelines.  Green features include using site planning for maximum efficiency, sustainable and recycled materials in construction, energy-saving appliances, and details such as installing rain barrels and landscaping to provide maximum shade and control water run-off.

Mohawk’s SmartStrand carpet made with DuPont Sorona renewably sourced polymer was selected for use in the home for its style, durability, and sustainability features.  SmartStrand with DuPont Sorona is made, in part, with naturally occurring sugars from readily available and renewable crops.

Sorona’s key fiber ingredient is Bio-PDO, produced from corn sugar.  By utilizing this central ingredient, 37% of Sorona can be made from renewable resources instead of the more limited petrochemical-based ingredients that are used in most other carpets.  And production of Sorona, when compared to production of an equal amount of nylon 6, uses 30% less energy and reduces CO2 emissions 63%.  So every seven yards of SmartStrand with DuPont Sorona used in a home saves enough energy and resources to equal one gallon of gasoline—a total savings of up to 10 million gallons—all without sacrificing performance.

“Mohawk is proud to be a part of this project,” said Jenny Cross, Senior Sustainability Manager.  “Raising Roofs demonstrates just how quickly we can make changes to improve peoples’ lives and the environment.  We’re delighted to help showcase the technology now available to help achieve sustainability.”

NAHB’s voluntary Model Green Home Building Guidelines are designed to be a tool kit for the individual builder looking to engage in green building practices and home builder associations (HBAs) looking to launch their own local green building programs.  More than half of NAHB’s members, who build more than 80 percent of the homes in this country, are incorporating green practices into the development, design and construction of new homes.

Habitat for Humanity has proven, in projects around the world, that building homes does more than simply put a roof over someone’s head.  Safe, decent, affordable housing provides stability for children.  It increases a family’s sense of dignity and pride.  It improves health, physical safety, and security.  And it helps improve education and increase job prospects.