United Way of Long Island has won a U.S Department of Energy award for building a custom, renewable energy home for veterans and people with special needs.
Alphonso Richardson is the first veteran to move into the four-bedroom house.
“The house means to me an opportunity to live a good comfortable, life and I think personally that all veterans deserve a good quality of life and this is a good start for all veterans,” Richardson said.
The home has solar panels on the roof that generate as much power as the house consumes. It also features specialty appliances, an energy-saving boiler and added insulation.
The zero energy home is walking distance from downtown Patchogue.