WASHINGTON, D.C., Nov. 16th, 2007 — U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander (R-TN) and U.S. Representatives Marsha Blackburn (R-TN-07) and John Tanner (D-TN-08) today praised a $2.2 million dollar allocation to Fort Campbell to build 21st Century, energy efficient housing. The funding – a provision in the Department of Defense Appropriations Bill for Fiscal Year 2008 (H.R. 3222) – will allow Fort Campbell to partner with Actus Lend Lease to construct ‘zero-energy’ homes, where energy consumption equals energy production, on the military base.
“Pairing energy efficiency with the building of good homes for our military men and women makes sense, and improves the quality of life at Fort Campbell.” said Alexander. “I’m glad Fort Campbell will be part of a growing number of building sites that set a blueprint for environmentally responsible housing.”
“As a long time supporter of legislation that provides our men and women in uniform the best equipment, technology, and housing that money can buy, it gives me great pleasure that President Bush signed H.R. 3222 into law,” said Blackburn. “This bill not only supports American soldiers at home and abroad, it also contains a critical public-private housing agreement to provide first-class and high technology military housing. These zero-energy projects developed at Fort Campbell use cutting-edge energy technology that will soon be available to the soldiers and families that serve at the base and live in the Clarksville area. I am glad to have supported legislation that provides quality housing for our men and women in uniform.”
“I was proud to support the Defense Appropriations bill, which contains vital funding for our brave military men and women,” stated Tanner. “The zero-energy project is an important step toward developing homes that recognize the economic and environmental benefits of increased energy efficiency.”
Fort Campbell currently has over 1 million square feet of World War II era facilities that need to be replaced. Fort Campbell’s active duty population is expected to grow to 28,000 soldiers in the near future and with that growth is the need for modern housing and improved quality of life on and around Fort Campbell. This funding will be used to construct new zero energy homes –where energy consumption equals energy production – on Fort Campbell for use by military families living on post.
Actus Lend Lease, the largest privatized military housing development partner for the Department of Defense, is based in Nashville and has constructed more than 34,000 Department of Defense partnership homes in an effort to develop energy-efficient building methods.
The Defense Appropriations bill was signed into law by the President on November 13, 2007.
