Olympia, WA - Lafarge recently partnered with a number of its customers to donate materials and labor for building the first three homes in Habitat for Humanity's Fairview Cottages Project in Olympia, WA. Working under the Washington State Evergreen Green Building Standards, the planned fifteen-home development is making major advances in achieving Habitat for Humanity's goal to create sustainable housing, as well as in promoting the numerous 'green' living benefits that concrete products offer.

Habitat for Humanity International is a volunteer-driven, non-profit organization that partners with low-income families to make the dream of home ownership a reality. The South Puget Sound affiliate of Habitat for Humanity International has built 34 homes since 1989. A corps of volunteers helps with the construction of each home, which takes about a year to construct.

The Fairview Cottages feature a wide range of sustainable benefits, including: Insulating Concrete Forms (ICFs): Insulated concrete form construction uses the combination of stay-in-place plastic foam forms and concrete to create walls that provide superior insulation properties with an R-value of R-26, which reduces energy consumption by approximately 40%. They also reduce noise, which is ideal for the small lots these homes reside on. In addition to energy efficiency and sound transmission reduction, ICF walls give a house superior comfort, solidity, durability, resistance to natural disasters, and fire safety features as well.

Radiant Floor Heating: Radiant floor heating uses the thermal mass benefits of concrete to efficiently heat the home.

Cement-Fiber Siding: Cement fiber siding, which is produced using wood fiber and cement, resists cracking, rotting, hail damage, termites and many other possible problems. Designed to last a lifetime, the product comes with a 50-year warranty.