people with limited incomes cannot afford to waste their money on inefficient heating and coolings systems or doctor bills and yet their homes are often the ones with the oldest technologies and the poorest indoor air quality. there are plenty of low or no-cost building practices that can be implemented to build more effective and efficient homes.

all builders, especially those that target the low-income market, such as Habitat for Humanity, have a responsibility to choose environmentally-friendly materials and processes. my thesis looked at the feasibility of Pittsburgh Habitat for Humanity to build with a more sustainable approach.