September 6, 2017

 

Honolulu, HI — EAH Housing staff recently completed the “Change a Light, Change the World” program which provided residents of six EAH communities in Hawai’i with free Compact Fluorescent Light (CFL) Bulbs. Between 75 and 100% of residents at each of the six properties – Kalani Gardens, Kukui Tower, Kukui Gardens, Chinatown Manor, Banyan Street Manor, and West Loch Elderly Village – are now using the bulbs. In total, over 1,000 EAH apartments are now powered by the energy efficient bulbs.

CFL bulbs (pictured at left) can produce the same amount of light as standard, incandescent bulb while lasting longer and running on about a quarter of the power. Residents who installed the CFL bulbs are looking forward to seeing a drop in their electricity bills.
Replacing light bulbs may seem like a small thing, but on such a large scale, and combined with other sustainable practices, using CFL bulbs will have a significant, positive environmental impact. At EAH Housing we are always looking for more ways to go green, and this program is just one of our many efforts.

In addition to receiving the CFL Bulbs, residents were also given a “3 R’s for the Environment” flyer which detailed ways that residents can adopt sustainable practices in their daily lives. The “Change a Light, Change the World” program was part of the larger EAH Housing Building Sustainable Communities Initiative, a portfolio wide effort built upon the three “e’s” of sustainability – Environmental Quality, Economic Integrity, and Social Equity.

“Our green operating programs are guided by an understanding that local actions have global impacts. Over the last few years, EAH Housing has carried out a number of programs aimed at improving the sustainability of EAH communities. Most recently, 30 properties in California received green upgrades which included switching to energy efficient appliances, redesigning landscaping to include native plants, and installing solar panels. Similar improvements, and others, are to be carried out portfolio wide in the coming years,” said EAH Chief Operating Officer, Laura Hall.

The “Change a Light, Change the World” program was the result of a partnership between EAH Housing and Hawai’i Energy, an organization under contract with the Hawai’i Public Utilities Commission and operated by R.W. BECK that administers the State of Hawai’i’s Energy Efficiency programs for Hawai’i, Maui, and Oahu counties. Hawai’i Energy supplied the bulbs for the program and EAH staff coordinated distribution with the help of resident volunteers.

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About EAH Housing

Established in 1968, EAH Housing is one of the oldest and most respected nonprofit developers and managers in the western United States. EAH has developed over 7,268 homes and manages 101 properties serving working families, students and seniors in 50 municipalities throughout California and Hawaii.

For more information visit www.eahhousing.org.