The “Going Green” movement has officially hit the Athens housing market – and University students are helping it go mainstream.

Jared York, president of J. W. York Homes, has been building custom homes in Athens for about three years. His newest project, Cottages at Hilltop, is a 30-lot community within walking distance from downtown.

“The main goal of this project is to develop a small community and have it be environmentally responsible,” York said in a telephone interview Monday.

He said Cottages at Hilltop would have more than three acres of greenspace, which he hopes to turn into a community garden.

Cottages at Hilltop will have input from University students in the textiles, merchandising and interiors department. York said he is excited to work with the students.

“I’m so surprised that UGA even had the curriculum,” he said.

Anna Averett, a senior from Columbus, is one of the students taking the class as part of her graduation requirement.

Sustainable design is more than just being “green,” she said.

“It’s universal design,” she said. “It’s building environmentally friendly [buildings] with flexible space planning that can accommodate different lifestyles and age groups.”

Megan Lee, assistant professor in the textiles, merchandising and interiors department, teaches the TXMI senior studio class working on the project.

“It’s the first project with a community partner and their first exposure to sustainable design,” she said.

Her students, split up into teams, are in charge of designing a possible “spec house” to submit to York for use in the Cottages at Hilltop neighborhood.

Lee said the project consisted of three phases – first, the students begin their design process with schematic drawings; then they create all design developments, including lighting and interior design elements; and finally they finish all paperwork and make sure their plan is within budget.

“With sustainability, one of the main issues is that it’s not black and white,” she said. “This project gives students the empowerment of how to make decisions.”

Averett said this was what made sustainable design interesting to her.

“I like the concept, but some sustainable materials aren’t really sustainable,” she said, pointing out that some recycled materials are not considered environmentally friendly because they are not manufactured in close proximity to Athens.

Averett said what makes these homes sustainable are the different flooring and paint finishes, as well as the requirement for Energy Star appliances. She also said the homes would be Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certified, and would not use materials containing harmful chemicals.

“Everybody’s ideas for the houses are completely different,” she said. “[York] was really interested in our ideas, and hopefully he’ll incorporate some of them.”

York said the homes will be sold for between $150,000 and $200,000.

“In the rawest definition of sustainability, I think it’s to build a house that does not affect the environment at all,” he said.

He said that definition was not feasible at this point and that every home affects the environment.

Lee said she thinks by having energy efficient homes in Athens, more people will become interested in the benefits of sustainable design.

“There aren’t tons of builders and developers focusing on sustainable housing,” she said. “[These students] are going to start normalizing the idea of sustainability.”

Patrick O’Brien, a realtor for Full Circle Real Estate Group, is one of York’s building partners.

He said Cottages at Hilltop is important for those involved in real estate and housing because it will increase their focus on building at a sustainable level.

The students, he said, “are essentially leading the way for design and development with an eye on sustainability.”

“It’s a vital experience for them,” he said in a telephone interview Monday.

York said he thought it was great he could do something beneficial for the community with this project.

“It sets a precedent,” he said. “Other developers are going to look at it and maybe incorporate sustainability [into their designs].”