BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT) — New, sustainable and affordable houses are going up in Titusville.
It’s part of the city of Birmingham’s efforts to provide more affordable homes for families.

The new homes are sustainable meaning they can help families be more energy efficient which can lead to a more affordable home over time.

Wednesday, Navigate Affordable Housing Partners, a local non-profit, unveiled three new, sustainable homes being built in Goldwire Heights.

The development is part of Navigate’s community revitalization efforts in Birmingham’s Titusville neighborhood.

The homes are structural insulated panel homes, also known as “sip” homes. Navigate President and CEO Lisa McCarroll said these homes use alternative construction methods making them more energy efficient.

“So your floor, your exterior walls, your roof are going to be those panels. That’s where you get your energy efficiency, your performance over time, your green building. What that does for a family purchasing is: performance over time, cost over time is lowered because it doesn’t cost as much to heat and cool so it’s just better all the way around,” McCarroll said.

McCarroll said this building process is much faster. The home demos unveiled Wednesday were built in a day and a half. She said this method is also zero waste.

McCarroll said the homes will be up for sale at a reasonable price and will help families not only own a home but also save money over time.