Creating $25 Energy Bills in Nashville
January 15, 2025
Fifteen years ago, Barbara Latimer (GC ‘11) was looking for a niche in the construction industry as she studied to become a general contractor. Amidst the recession of the late 2000s, she found her niche when she discovered the Institute for Sustainable Practice (ISP), offering a master’s and graduate certificate in sustainability.
Latimer is now LEED-accredited and owner of Honeybee Builders, focused on quality construction, tasteful designs and serving the community, all with an emphasis on energy efficiency through projects such as micro homes, historic home renovations and other new construction.
In 2020, Honeybee teamed up with Affordable Housing Resources and Auburn University’s Rural Studio to develop Nashville’s Wharf Project. The four 550-square-foot homes in the Wedgewood-Houston neighborhood were inspired by Rural Studio homes in Newbern, Alabama. Auburn students designed the Wharf homes, while Honeybee served as the contractor for the project.
Each individual working on the Wharf Project was dedicated to the mission of financial accessibility, energy efficiency and low- to no-maintenance for future homeowners. Honeybee’s HVAC design use of mini splits paired with an ERV system and high R-value insulation provided homeowners with an estimated $25 per month electric bill.
Lipscomb’s program developed in Latimer the skills she needed to earn LEED accreditation, a credential that “makes me more thoughtful about everything around energy efficiency and asking questions that other contractors might not,” she said.
Latimer educates her clients on how to maintain a home for sustainable longevity. With the rise in popularity of electric cars, Latimer advises clients to consider installing an electric hookup in their garages. This can save them from the hassle of having to add it later in the future. “Thinking about the residents’ needs and lifestyle is as important as thinking about eco-friendly decisions,” she said.
Today, Latimer eagerly anticipates Honeybee’s upcoming project in partnership with Nashville nonprofit Thistle Farms, to construct two new homes for the residents in the program, which works to employ female survivors of human trafficking, prostitution and addiction. These builds will provide the women with safe and comfortable living spaces, aiding them in finding a place they can call home.
Lipscomb's Institute for Sustainable Practice has been on the leading edge of sustainability education in the Southeast, producing pioneering alumni who have designed and created sustainability products and services for the past 18 years. Learn more about our programs and how to get involved at lipscomb.edu/sustainability.
Originally published in the 2024 College of Leadership & Public Service Dean's Report. Read the full publication here.
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