The Rio Tinto Alcan Sustainable Homes Programme

Protecting the environment and employing sustainable building practices is an issue that is becoming increasingly important. Low income households face real challenges in maintaining affordable shelter due to the impact of increasing utility costs, often coined as “energy poverty”.

There are more than 13 million homes in Canada. Today, 17 percent of the energy consumed in Canada is used to run our homes. ENERGY STAR qualified new homes (or other similar provincially administered Energy Efficiency Programs) are typically 30% more energy efficient than those built to minimum building code standards. Individual homes that are more energy-efficient can reduce green house gas emissions by up to three tonnes per year. Additionally, energy efficient homes reduce homeowner costs by up to 30% saving each family approximately $500 each year in utility costs.

Rio Tinto Alcan shares Habitat for Humanity Canada’s commitment to providing safe, energy efficient, healthy and affordable housing for low income families. In 2008, Rio Tinto Alcan is launching the Rio Tinto Alcan Sustainable Homes Programme for HfH affiliates to encourage and incent affiliates to employ more safe and sustainable practices in their building projects. This new award will serve as a visible demonstration of Rio Tinto Alcan’s commitment to the protection of the environment, its investment in the communities it serves, and its work in supporting the elimination of poverty housing in Canada.

This programme has three areas of focus:

1. Quality: HfH is committed to building high quality affordable housing for families in need that is also more sustainable. Emphasis in this category will be placed on sustainable construction methods and practices.
   
   
2. Safety: The safety and health of all employees, volunteers and subcontractors involved with Habitat for Humanity (HfH) is a critical priority. The ability to continue with our work and build affordable housing at the highest levels of quality means ensuring that the safety and health of our workforce is maintained at all times. To achieve this goal, HfH developed the safety, health and environment (SHE) program. Having a safe and healthy work environment is everyone’s responsibility and contributes to the long-term sustainability of HfH projects, the environment, and to the organizations participating overall. Emphasis in this category is placed on the affiliates SHE program and SHE program implementation.
   
   
3. Innovation: Habitat for Humanity is a grassroots organization based on innovation, passion and a commitment to providing a hand-up, not a hand out to families in need. Emphasis in this category is placed on the innovative community partnerships, demonstration of creativity and resolve, and its communications activities to help raise awareness of the issue of affordable housing and the importance of sustainable development.

Affiliates can score a maximum amount of 100 points in each of the categories described above.

Contest winners responsibilities and rules