The Habitat for Humanity for the Greater Harrisburg Area held their “Behind the Build” Event on March 27, 2023. The event was held to celebrate the progress being made on the new duplex home under construction in Steelton, PA. The new homes, designed by Crabtree, Rohrbaugh & Associates, are designed to be affordable, low carbon homes using insulated concrete forms (ICFs), a sustainable noncombustible building system. The system reduces upfront construction expenses while maximizing the structure’s durability and energy performance. The result is a high quality, high performing new building that will reduce the homeowner’s long-term costs on utilities and insurance.
Habitat for Humanity is a nonprofit organization that helps families build and improve places to call home. They believe affordable housing plays a critical role in strong and stable communities. Spearheading the project, they are working with several local partners to make the build of these new duplexes happen.
Many local government leaders including Dauphin County Commissioners, Steelton Mayor, and representatives from the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development, among others attended the event.
“There is such a need for affordable housing and to be able to partner with a group like Habitat for Humanity to make a project like this happen, and to do it in such a way to make history is really exciting,” said Dauphin County Commissioner Chad Saylor.
The project is part of a project promoted by the National Ready Mixed Concrete Association to build 50 sustainable homes using the ICF’s in all 50 states. Through the “Build With Strength” program, the NRMCA is making great strides to prove that concrete isn’t just for driveways and warehouses. A wide swath of builders, developers, and organizations are recognizing the fact that concrete, when utilized with ICFs, can improve the carbon footprint of a building while also providing a comfortable and cozy structure. This program is funded in part by the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Association’s (PHFA) PA Housing Affordability and Rehabilitation Enhancement Fund (PHARE) grant, and Dauphin County Local Share Gaming grant.
This project is phase one of a two phase project. A second duplex is planned to be constructed on the site in the fall of 2023.
