Nicor Gas and Southern Company are partnering with Habitat for Humanity to build the smart communities, which will use a combination of renewable, electric and natural gas technologies.
Nicor Gas and Southern Company are announcing a new partnership with the Fox Valley and Northern Fox Valley Habitat for Humanity affiliates to create Smart Neighbourhood communities in the Chicagoland (Chicago metropolitan) area.
Two planned communities, one in Aurora and a second being developed in Northern Fox Valley, will total 30 single-family net zero emissions homes equipped with a combination of renewable, electric and natural gas technologies.
Smart Neighbourhoods
Smart Neighborhood is a trademarked brand of Southern Company, the parent company of Nicor Gas. The neighbourhoods aim to advance energy technologies that work together as a part of an affordable, reliable clean energy economy. They also seek to create jobs, diverse business partnerships, economic development, and green transportation.
They are designed so that eligible residents benefit from the freedom of expensive mortgages and benefit from using features such as energy efficient appliances that help reduce high energy bills, while reducing their carbon footprint.
Also known as Care communities (carbon-neutral, affordable, resilient and efficient), each Smart Neighbourhood will come with high efficiency building envelopes, solar panels and battery solutions that will allow for further reliability in the event of storms or inclement weather.
Groundbreaking for the Aurora development is expected to take place next spring. Work on the Northern Fox Valley development is slated for 2024.
“We’re only now at the beginning of imagining the potential within renewable technology and the resiliency of a net zero future,” said Wendell Dallas, president and CEO of Nicor Gas. “As we enter this fourth industrial revolution, we must be more than innovative but inclusive to ensure everyone is able to enjoy the cost savings and the satisfaction of knowing they are doing their part to ensure a clean energy future for their communities.”
The Aurora community will be the first Smart Neighbourhood to be built in Illinois and will launch a three-year research study to examine how natural gas can be part of the solution toward meeting net zero energy goals.
“At Habitat for Humanity, we are excited to work alongside Nicor Gas to create a pathway to strength, stability and independence through homeownership,” said Jeffrey Barrett, executive director and CEO of Fox Valley Habitat for Humanity.
“This collaboration represents a unique opportunity to advance the adoption of net zero energy solutions, while making them available to individuals who ordinarily could not afford these environmental upgrades.”
As the largest natural gas provider in Illinois, Nicor Gas leads research and development focused on a resilient clean energy future. It is part of Southern Company Gas, a family of four natural gas distribution companies whose commitment to sustainability includes working towards net zero emissions from operations, while delivering quality customer solutions, enriching communities and investing in innovation.
Habitat for Humanity is a global nonprofit that brings people together to build homes, communities and hope, envisioning a world where everyone has a decent place to live. The housing organisation works in communities across all 50 US states.
For this project, Fox Valley and Northern Fox Valley Habitat for Humanity affiliates will serve as developer of the Smart Neighbourhood Initiative. In addition, Habitat for Humanity will partner with local government officials on a broader Neighbourhood Revitalisation Initiative to conduct home repairs and build quality, affordable homes for those in need. Nicor Gas will support that initiative through its energy efficiency programme.
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Quelle/Source: Smart Cities World, 28.10.2022
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