thedrifter
12-11-08, 07:55 AM
Kaneohe Marines Welcome Green Homes
Project Designed To Help Junior-Enlisted Marines
POSTED: 3:29 pm HST December 10, 2008
UPDATED: 4:09 pm HST December 10, 2008
HONOLULU -- Officials at Marine Corps Base Hawaii in Kaneohe on Wednesday dedicated new homes that are among the state's greenest for members of the military and their families.
The houses look like they could be in almost any new development on Oahu. They are part of the Waikulu neighborhood, a housing project at Marine Corps Base Hawai'i at Kaneohe.
These units will be home for junior-enlisted Marines and their families, who'll be housed, on base, in what amounts to a gated community.
"If you are deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan, and you know your family is well taken care of, then you're going to be able to better perform your duties in the combat zone. You're not going to be as worried about life back here in Hawaii for your families," Col. Robert Rice said.
These homes are being constructed in a partnership between the military and Forest City Military Communities, a private company that is building and managing the new houses under a 50-year contract with the Navy and Marines worth about $1.4 billion.
Ultimately, there we will be 349 new homes built at the site. The project replaces units that are anywhere from 30 to 60 years old.
The three- to five-bedroom homes also boast the latest in green technology. Solar panels on the outside and energy-efficient appliances and lighting fixtures with compact fluorescent bulbs on the inside.
"If you were to build a home outside of the fence, using city and county standards, our homes would be about 30 to 40, about 35 to 40 percent more efficient than that kind of base home," Forest City Military Communities Senior Vice President Jon Wallenstrom said.
The entire housing project should be complete in 2010, officials said.
Ellie
Project Designed To Help Junior-Enlisted Marines
POSTED: 3:29 pm HST December 10, 2008
UPDATED: 4:09 pm HST December 10, 2008
HONOLULU -- Officials at Marine Corps Base Hawaii in Kaneohe on Wednesday dedicated new homes that are among the state's greenest for members of the military and their families.
The houses look like they could be in almost any new development on Oahu. They are part of the Waikulu neighborhood, a housing project at Marine Corps Base Hawai'i at Kaneohe.
These units will be home for junior-enlisted Marines and their families, who'll be housed, on base, in what amounts to a gated community.
"If you are deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan, and you know your family is well taken care of, then you're going to be able to better perform your duties in the combat zone. You're not going to be as worried about life back here in Hawaii for your families," Col. Robert Rice said.
These homes are being constructed in a partnership between the military and Forest City Military Communities, a private company that is building and managing the new houses under a 50-year contract with the Navy and Marines worth about $1.4 billion.
Ultimately, there we will be 349 new homes built at the site. The project replaces units that are anywhere from 30 to 60 years old.
The three- to five-bedroom homes also boast the latest in green technology. Solar panels on the outside and energy-efficient appliances and lighting fixtures with compact fluorescent bulbs on the inside.
"If you were to build a home outside of the fence, using city and county standards, our homes would be about 30 to 40, about 35 to 40 percent more efficient than that kind of base home," Forest City Military Communities Senior Vice President Jon Wallenstrom said.
The entire housing project should be complete in 2010, officials said.
Ellie