Solar panels installed on Harrisonburg Habitat for Humanity home

HARRISONBURG, Va. (WHSV) - The Central Valley Habitat for Humanity has partnered with a non-profit called GiveSolar to make the organization’s new Harrisonburg home completely solar powered.

The home on Virginia Avenue, which will house two families when it’s completed, had 24 panels installed on its roof Friday. The Harrisonburg house is just the beginning of the partnership between the two organizations.

“We are helping habitat for humanity to fundraiser $100,000 to put solar on 20 habitat homes over the course of the next five years,” said Jeff Heie, the director of GiveSolar.

The Central Valley Habitat for Humanity is building the Harrisonburg home to be environmentally friendly and cost efficient.

“Each home we build to earth craft standards, basically they’re going to be highly energy efficient so we can keep the cost for the families low,” said Kirsten Pittman, the Community Outreach Coordinator for the organization.

Harrisonburg City leaders support the project. “I love the intersection of renewable energy and affordable housing which are both huge issues that we’re facing and this is one solution, one step, one family, one household at a time,” said Harrisonburg City Councilwoman Laura Dent.

On sunny days, the 24 panels on the roof will produce about 50 kilowatt hours of electricity.

“That will be enough electricity to power everything in the house all day long, in fact it’ll be more than they need,” said Jeff Heie.

The Central Valley Habitat for Humanity hopes the home will set an example for other homes across the state.

“We do have other habitat affiliates from around the state of Virginia here today so that they can see what we’re doing, what GiveSolar is doing, and hopefully moving forward continue to make habitat homes more energy efficient,” said Kirsten Pittman.

The home is set to be completed by July 18.

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