National Society of Black Engineers and Habitat for Humanity

Confront Houston Housing and Education

Problem-Solution Facts at a Glance Sponsorship Levels FAQ Cost of a SolarBUILD System Biographies Response Form Press Release

The Houston Chronicle reports that in 1998, a widower who lived alone and kept his air conditioner turned off to save money haplessly succumbed to the severity of Houston’s summer heat. NSBE-Houston Space Chapter PO Box 58494 Houston, TX 77258 www.nsbe-hsc.org Houston Habitat for Humanity 3750 N. McCarty Houston, TX 77029 www.houstonhabitat.org www.habitatforhumanitysuperbuild.org

THE PROBLEM: · A significant deficit continues to exist in the number of disadvantaged and underrepresented students pursuing careers in science, engineering and technology. · Students rarely have direct field lab experience with advanced renewable energy technologies, potentially decreasing the influx of our most talented youth into an important industry. · Many families in Houston are unable to cope with the expenses of food, shelter, and power. Additionally, many such families have little knowledge of or experience with renewable energy technologies that can reduce their utility expenses. · The Center for Housing Policy reports that more than one out of ten of Houston’s moderate-income, working families live in inadequate housing. · Congressman Gene Green (D-TX, 29th District) states that in 2001, almost 60,000 families in Houston had their power cut off, while only 14,443 in the entire state of Texas received cooling assistance. · Without power, air conditioners cannot operate. This type of situation can lead to tragic fatalities during Houston’s summers. Further, low-income families in homes where power has not been cut off have been known to shut off the air conditioner to save money, as the air conditioner often consumes significantly more energy than other appliances. · Fans are a poor substitute for air conditioners, as they are ineffective when the temperature exceeds 90 degrees Fahrenheit and the humidity exceeds 35 percent - in other words, during a normal Houston summer day. Under such conditions, fans cease to act as cooling devices and literally transform a room into a convection oven. (Source: Center for Disease Control and Houston Department of Health and Human Services) THE SOLUTION: · NSBE-Houston Space Chapter will partner with and mentor college and high school students in order to facilitate the development of Houston’s next generation of scientists, engineers, and leaders. · NSBE-Houston Space Chapter will lead teams of professional engineers and students to assemble and install solar power systems on the rooftops of newly constructed homes. · NSBE-Houston Space Chapter will launch a two-year research study investigating the performance and benefits of solar power systems. This study will utilize college students as researchers, performing field investigations to chart the quarterly energy production and consumption of each home, comparing this data with similar homes without solar power. · NSBE-Houston Space Chapter will distribute educational materials to teach family members how to properly use and obtain maximum benefits from their solar power systems. · Houston Habitat for Humanity sells homes at cost and with a zero-interest mortgage. Current mortgage payments are as low as $450-$500 per month (including taxes and insurance). · Houston Habitat for Humanity uses careful selection processes and “sweat equity” (involving homeowners in the homebuilding process) to ensure demonstrated economic need, responsibility, and commitment among future homeowners.

Problem-Solution Facts at a Glance Sponsorship Levels FAQ Cost of a SolarBUILD System Biographies Response Form Press Release

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