Montana State University has launched a Web site that features a number of energy-efficient homes across the country. The site, which can be found atwww.homes-across-america.org, is an educational resource for homeowners, designers, and builders.

Visitors can use the site as a database to find green buildings in their state and hometowns. Each featured infrastructure has been built with natural resource conservation in mind, as well as creating a healthy and lower-costing environment for occupants, says the university.

One of many locations featured on the site includes an apartment complex in Missoula, Montana, called the Gold Dust. The building is a multifamily apartment complex and boasts a number of energy saving alternatives. For example, the Gold Dust is equipped with high-efficiency 90 percent Lochinvar furnaces in two of the complex’s back units, as well as a Lochinvar boiler for radiant heated floors in the main building. Multi-zoned thermostats were also installed to achieve lower energy use for heating.

The apartment complex also makes use of solar-powered lighting, Energy Star appliances, and a number of indoor air quality initiatives.

According to the Homes Across America Web site, the Gold Dust is home to many low-income families. These energy-efficient initiatives help to keep expenses, especially utility bills, down for the occupants.

Publication date: 09/01/2003