Habitat for Humanity of Greater Charlottesville will incorporate the best practices in design and construction with a culturally and climatically responsive architecture at Sunrise Park. Habitat's mission not only provides affordable home ownership opportunities to low-income families, but also assures that those families can afford the maintenance and operation costs of owning a home over the long term. The financial savings achieved through energy efficient design and construction are especially important to low-income families who can spend up to 17 percent of their income on energy bills. Successful designs will respond to the distinct climate of the region, minimize the negative impact of construction, encourage the use of public transportation and limit the use of natural resources.

The EarthCraft House® green building program is the new standard for sustainable development in the Charlottesville region. The recently developed EarthCraft House® multifamily housing guidelines will serve as the baseline for the sustainable aspect of the competition program. EarthCraft House® defines the following areas for consideration: site planning, building envelope and systems, lighting and appliances, resource design and building materials, waste management, indoor air quality, indoor and outdoor water management, construction and user operations.