Enterprise and the U.S. Green Building Council have announced a major partnership to expand the benefits of green building for developers, operators and residents of affordable housing. Bart Harvey, chairman, CEO and president of Enterprise Community Partners, announced the partnership during the opening plenary at USGBC’s Greenbuild conference in Denver last week. Enterprise and USGBC’s partnership will include:
- Developing and delivering trainings to enable more affordable housing developers to incorporate green building into their developments
- Collaborating on efforts to evaluate the costs, benefits and performance of green affordable housing developments
- Creating ways for more affordable housing developers to participate in USGBC programs by further aligning Green Communities and LEED for Homes and by cutting costs of certification and verification
Major Investment in Green Communities in Washington State
The Russell Family Foundation has invested $2 million in Enterprise to support Green Communities in Washington state. The program-related investment from TRFF will encourage the development of green affordable housing developments in the Puget Sound region. These developments will incorporate innovative storm water management techniques and other forms of low impact development. Through the use of strategies such as green roofs, porous pavement, bioswales and rain gardens, contaminated storm water can be reduced, which can benefit the ongoing effort to clean up the Puget Sound.
Green Community Planning
As part of its Advanced Audio/Web Conference Series, the American Institute of Certified Planners sponsored a program on Green Community Planning. These sessions are geared to the practicing planner. Speakers provide case studies and assessments of planning techniques that further the field.
This particular program featured Timothy Beatley, the Teresa Heinz Professor of Sustainable Communities at the University of Virginia; Rich MacMath, consultant with the Austin Energy Green Building Program; and Dana Bourland, director of Green Communities. The speakers addressed how planning is uniquely situated to promote and implement green development practices. The session highlighted Green Communities as an example of an inspired partnership that has produced thousands of green affordable homes. More information can be found on the American Planning Association's website.
Chronicle of Philanthropy Features Green Affordable Housing
The Chronicle of Philanthropy featured an article highlighting the work of Green Communities partners - The Home Depot Foundation, the Low Income Housing Institute, Hacienda Community Development Corporation and Enterprise.
The Home Depot Foundation Recognizes Leading Green Affordable Developments
Clackamas Community Land Trust of Milwaukee, Ore., and homeWORD of Missoula, Mont., were winners of the second annual Awards of Excellence for Affordable Housing Built Responsibly from The Home Depot Foundation. The awards were announced and presented at Enterprise’s Network Conference in Los Angeles on October 26.
Green Communities Project Profile: Powellton Heights, Philadelphia
This Green Communities development opened in October. It combines sustainable design and building features with social services for the residents of the development’s 48 apartments on a former brownfield site. Read the project profile.
