NIC Really BIG Raffle house 'goes green'

This year's North Idaho College Foundation Really BIG Raffle house is green this year, and that means more than just the exterior color.

The grand prize home in the 17th annual fundraiser will be ENERGY STAR qualified and National Green Building certified.

"This means the home is loaded with energy-saving components and eco-friendly materials," said Kristen McFadden of the NIC Foundation. "This is the first year that we've done a 'green' home."

Adding energy efficient components to the home has been beneficial to the NIC carpentry students, who use the building of the raffle house as a working laboratory. Learning to build to the specifications of the ENERGY STAR requirements has provided working knowledge to the students that will be important when working in the industry, said NIC carpentry instructor Dave McRae.

This year's home includes a Carrier hybrid heating and cooling system, fluorescent lighting, energy efficient appliances and systems, an upgraded insulation package, water saver plumbing fixtures and Jeld-Wen high-efficient windows.

In addition, an ENERGY STAR rating includes third-party verified requirements that guide the building process so the home has minimal heat and cooling loss, costs less to operate and has less greenhouse gas emissions.

As a certified green home, most components of the home were chosen due to their low impact on the environment and indoor air quality. Featured inside the home are environmentally friendly trends in flooring such as marmoleum instead of vinyl, low VOC paints, recycled building materials and eco-friendly adhesives. On the outside, the home features an eco-friendly stone paver patio and recycled content concrete.

And the house is literally painted green.

"It seemed fitting that the exterior of this year's home be a shade of green, given the eco-friendly 'green' theme," McFadden said.

The 2010 "green home" is intended to showcase various ideas for those looking to make their own home more energy efficient or add environmentally friendly upgrades. The public is welcome to view the home at 2880 Marceille Drive in Coeur d'Alene from noon until 4 p.m. on Sundays May 16 and 23 and June 6 and 13.

The 2010 "green" home valued this year at $265,000, is the grand prize in the Really BIG Raffle. Other major prizes include a $20,000 car, a $10,000 boat, a $3,500 vacation package and a $2,000 shopping spree.

Only 5,000 tickets will be sold prior to the July 14 drawing at $100 each and tickets will be sold at the open houses or at ticket outlets across the Northwest.

Information: (208) 769-3271 or www.nic.edu/rbr.