Habitat for Humanity of Westchester County has broken ground on extraordinary new housing units for four families at Purser Place in Yonkers, New York, just north of New York City.

The four duplexes feature a next-generation CarbonCast prefabricated concrete technology from AltusGroup, utilizing embedded carbon fiber grid reinforcement that promises to deliver dramatic improvements in long-term performance and value over conventional wood-framed housing.

“As we saw with our recently completed homes at Willow Street, this construction method will allow us to more quickly place families into homes that will last much longer than a wood-frame structure,” says Jim Killoran, Director of Habitat for Humanity of Westchester County. “This could revolutionize the way we build homes for Habitat for Humanity locally and nationwide.”

The 1,800 square-foot, 2-story duplexes will have an appearance consistent with other homes in the neighborhood, with numerous architectural features. They are expected to be completed in 2007, with families moving in shortly thereafter.

“We're thankful to the City of Yonkers for working with us to expedite the approvals for this site and the new technology,” says Killoran.

The precast concrete will be manufactured in a nearby factory and delivered to the jobsite, ready to erect. It has been used in several commercial installations in the Metro New York City area. The Willow Street homes represent the first completed residential structures to reap the technology's multiple benefits.

“Homeowners who want unmatched durability, reduced heating and cooling costs coupled with low noise levels, and attractive looks can find a solution in CarbonCast precast concrete” and AFM foam insulation, says Harold Messenger, Vice President, Oldcastle Precast, a member of AltusGroup. “This technology could bring unprecedented speed and quality to residential construction. We're thankful to Habitat for Humanity and the City of Yonkers for giving us the opportunity to prove that CarbonCast technology is a viable and desirable technology for constructing homes.”

Attendees at an August 17 groundbreaking ceremony included officials from the City of Yonkers and Habitat for Humanity, Harold Messenger and Tim Lussier from Oldcastle Precast, among others. The day's agenda also a featured a presentation at Iona College about the LEED Green Building Rating System®, a voluntary, consensus-based national standard for developing high-performance, sustainable buildings. [ return to top ]