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Rupa Shenoy
St. Paul, Minn.

Habitat for Humanity unveils model energy-efficient home

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Habitat for Humanity of Minnesota says a family has moved into the most energy-efficient home the organization has ever built, part of an effort to help lower utility bills for Habitat homeowners.

Habitat worked with the University of Minnesota to design the new home in Princeton, about 100 miles north of the Twin Cities.

"It's got high-efficiency windows, it's got high levels of insulation, we've sided the home so it takes full advantage of natural sunlight, we've installed a solar panel that heats the water to provide the household with renewable free energy use of hot water," Habitat executive director Jan Plimpton said.

Total; cost: About $100,000 -- roughly the same cost to build a traditional Habitat home. Utilities will cost the owner about $60 a month.

The high-efficiency home will be used as a template for other Habitat houses in similar climates, Plimpton said.