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For Builders & Designers
Why does Green Affordable Housing matter to you?
Agencies and communities are increasingly demanding higher standards of quality, energy efficiency, health and durability in affordable housing. For designers and builders, maintaining quality with cost control is a critical issue. The ability to optimize first cost and long term operating costs will lead to making informed trade-offs and design decisions.
Healthier housing designed to avoid indoor air quality and mold problems, can help builders avoid costly mitigation and potential lawsuits. Housing with lower energy and maintenance costs as well as healthier, sustainable construction can be a marketing advantage for builders as well.
What is Green Affordable Housing?
Green Affordable Housing is designed to meet multiple goals. First, it must be affordable. Systems design leads to high performance at the lowest first cost. Energy efficiency is also important so that low operating costs make houses more affordable over their lifetime. Housing cannot be made more efficient at the expense of occupant's health. Indoor air quality can be improved through ventilation design, construction systems, and material selection. Durability and low maintenance are critical issues as well. Long lasting systems and materials are more affordable in the long run. Green Affordable Housing also means selecting systems and materials with the least lifetime impact on the environment. Finally, housing must be well designed so it adds value to the community and makes individual homeowners want to stay and improve their property.
What does this web site offer you?
- Design Strategies. The site provides a set of strategies for designers and builders to achieve affordable, energy efficient, healthy, and sustainable.
House Scale Strategies»
Assemblies Scale Strategies»
Components Scale Strategies» - Housing standards. The site provides a list of strategies that are low cost while improving energy efficiency, health, durability, and environmental impacts. These items may be recommended or required by agencies and communities.
- Advanced housing innovations. The site provides more advanced strategies that lead to higher energy efficiency, health, durability, and environmental performance levels. These items may be linked to incentives for the developer.
- Cost Analysis and Recommendations. The web site includes a systematic analysis of the costs and benefits of design alternatives at the house, assembly and component scales.
House Scale Analysis and Recommendations»
Assemblies Analysis and Recommendations»
Components Analysis and Recommendations»
Links
Design, Best Practices & Guides
Partnership for the Advancement of Housing Technology www.pathnet.org
Affordable Housing Design Advisor www.designadvisor.org
Knowledgeplex www.knowledgeplex.org
Greater Minnesota Housing Fund (Building Better Neighborhoods): www.gmhf.com
Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation www.cmhc.ca
AIA Colorado's Sustainable Design Resource Guide www.aiacolorado.org/SDRG/
Energy Design Resources www.energydesignresources.com
Build America Program, U.S. Department of Energy, www.eren.doe.gov/buildings/building_america
Builder's Resources
Minnesota Homebuilders Associations: www.nahb.com/slassmn.html
Twin Cities Homebuilders Association: www.batconline.org
Manufactured Housing Institute: www.mfghome.org
Advanced Energy www.advancedenergy.org/buildings
Build IQ www.BuildIQ.com
Database for State Incentives for Renewable Energy www.dsireusa.org
General
Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity: www.tchabitat.org
Habitat for Humanity International, www.habitat.org
Energy & Environment
American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy www.aceee.com
Green Institute: www.greeninstitute.org
Minnesota Office of Environmental Assistance: www.moea.state.mn.us
Minnesotans for an Energy Efficient Economy: www.me3.org
Energy Star Program www.energystar.gov
Energy and Environmental Building Association www.eeba.org
Efficient Windows Collaborative www.efficientwindows.org
Minnesota Sustainable Communities Network (MnSCN) www.nextstep.state.mn.us
Build America Program, U.S. Department of Energy, www.eren.doe.gov/buildings/building_america
Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Network (EREN), U.S. Department of Energy, www.eren.doe.gov/buildings
Environmental Building News, www.BuildingGreen.com
U.S. Green Building Council: www.usgbc.org
Built Green Colorado www.builtgreen.com
Office of Building Technology, State and Community Programs (see Partnerships for Affordable Housing), U.S. Department of Energy, www.eere.energy.gov/buildings/documents/pdfs/doe_pfah.pdf
National Renewable Energy Laboratory www.nrel.gov
Rocky Mountain Institute www.rmi.org
Worldwatch Institute: www.worldwatch.org
Ecosa Institute www.ecosainstitute.org
Wisconsin Environmental Initiative www.wi-ei.org
Center for Energy Efficiency & Renewable Technologies: www.ceert.org