Last weekend, a group of special volunteers returned to the National Home to continue a project that began last summer. Owners and employees from Greener Energy Company, Mid-West BetterAir Probiotics, Midwest Fire Safety, Yellow Blue, Great Lake Eco Systems, Consolidated Electric, and F4 Foundation came together to make the National Home’s houses more energy efficient. They also worked on other needed projects around the National Home community. Eco Technologies International is an umbrella organization under which Yellow Blue (energy conservation), Yellow Blue LED (commercial LED lighting), and TruWatch (high-quality residential fire protection) exist. Each company has independently owned retailers spread across the nation. In 2014, Eco Technologies International created the F4 Foundation, which stands for Faith, Family, Freedom, and Fun. Retailers that carry Yellow Blue’s Eco Shield aluminum insulation have the option of donating an extra penny per foot to the foundation when they purchase new stock. Yellow Blue will match each penny donated, and all donations go to the foundation whose primary goal is the betterment of children’s lives. F4 encourages their retailers to get involved with organizations in their communities that help children. This is how Michigan-based Greener Energy Company, Midwest Fire Safety, and Consolidated Electric began a relationship with the National Home last summer. They pledged to work with their network of sister companies to make each home on our campus energy-efficient by 2024 by completing five houses per year until they are all upgraded. Five more homes received upgrades this weekend. Volunteers installed Eco Shield insulation and solar fans in the attics. The Eco Shield insulation creates a barrier that prevents heat gain in the summer and heat loss in the winter. The new solar fans extract dangerously hot air in the summer and prevent mold-producing moisture in the winter. Each home’s air conditioner also received a boost of Blue Max, an additive that makes the units run more efficiently and reduces the time it takes to cool the house. With these three products combined, each home can expect a significant savings on their energy usage. In addition to energy efficiency upgrades, the group also built, transported, and filled six large flower boxes and planted vegetable plants and flowers in them. They also painted our pig barn at the Montana Farmstead, assembled six picnic tables and two sheds, stuffed 1000 envelopes, and deep-cleaned one of our transitioning homes. These upgrades will have a lasting impact on our campus and homes. Thank you F4 Foundation volunteers and friends for continuing to make the National Home an even better place to live! View more photos from their visit here.