The objective was clear: produce an educational tool to help area residents weatherize their homes and make them more energy efficient.
But when the Home Builders Association of Greater Columbia launches its informational Web site in the coming weeks, it will be with the added benefit of some on-the-job discovery.
Members and volunteers with the organization's Green Building Council are midway through an upgrade to a transitional women's shelter in north Columbia. Workers are repairing a leaky roof, adding insulation and taking other steps to make the house more airtight.
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"We wanted to try to find a (public education) project that would show weatherization techniques," said Pete Williams, the project's coordinator.
Around the same time the project was being conceived, the Home Builders got a call from the women's shelter seeking help with some structural problems and related issues at one of its homes.
"It seemed like the perfect fit," Williams said of the decision to combine the two efforts.
So in recent weeks, professionals from various fields have been busy with tasks including insulating the attic, adding foam underneath the flooring and sealing holes in the home's ductwork.
"I don't think a lot of people understand how much air infiltrates their house," Williams said.
But he added that many leaks can be reduced significantly, if not entirely, at relatively low expense by using such techniques as caulking. That's among the many steps workers have undertaken at the north Columbia women's shelter, one of about 15 throughout the community.
Along with the weatherization efforts, the Home Builders workers have made some structural improvements to the house, including the reinforcement of the foundation and interior painting.
University of South Carolina students Susannah Nelson and Baxter Close are among the volunteers who have grabbed paint brushes and gone to work on the house.
"We've learned a lot," Nelson said. "We didn't realize how detailed it could be. But it's been fun."
The Home Builders Association of Greater Columbia is composed of residential and commercial builders and remodeling contractors. Materials for the women's shelter have been donated by Home Builders Association members and area businesses. In all, about 40 people are involved in the upgrades, which are expected to be completed by late next month.
Shortly afterwards, the Home Builders group will launch the educational site with tips and steps to homeowners for making their houses more energy efficient.
"We're paying back for the good lives that we've had," Williams said.
Tips for making homes more energy efficient can be found at columbiagreenbuilders.com.
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