Current trends in urbanization and income growth suggest that by 2025, about 440 million urban households around the world—at least 1.6 billion people—could occupy crowded, inadequate, and unsafe housing[1]. Much of the world’s low-income housing is built without the benefit of the best and latest construction technologies, often leading to inefficient systems that increase household costs and add to global greenhouse gas emissions.
DuPont partners with Habitat for Humanity International to provide safe, affordable, and energy-efficient housing for people in need worldwide. Each year, hundreds of DuPont volunteers in many communities help to build new houses or rebuild and revitalize neighborhoods. DuPont also provides grant funding and donates our energy-efficient building products, including Styrofoam™ brand insulation, DuPont Weathermate™ Homewrap, and Great Stuff™ Insulating Foam Sealant.
Homes built with DuPont products have lower annual energy costs for homeowners compared to homes built without them. A typical home spends about $2,000 USD every year on energy bills. Properly installed sealing and insulation products such as Styrofoam™, Great Stuff™, and Tyvek®, can save homeowners an average of 30% on energy use, which relates to about $600 USD in heating and cooling bills annually. By enabling energy-efficient materials that deliver increased thermal and weather barriers and provide air and moisture protection around gaps and cracks, we're helping Habitat homeowners lower their energy bills and live in a healthier and more comfortable home.
In the second half of 2019, 400 DuPont employees donated over 2,550 service hours to Habitat projects in 16 communities across the U.S. and Canada. And, DuPont’s donation of building products throughout 2019 benefitted nearly 550 families in over 100 communities.