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For Developers
Why does Green Affordable Housing matter to you?
For a developer, community approval of affordable housing projects is a critical issue. Well designed housing meeting multiple goals of energy efficiency, health, durability and low environmental impact can increase the potential for community approval.
Green Affordable Housing has a number of financial benefits to a developer as well. Sustainable design strategies can assist developers in reducing costs for street, water and sewer infrastructure. Rental property owners who develop affordable multifamily housing, will save money on operating and maintenance costs. For both owner occupied and rental housing, lower energy and maintenance costs as well as healthier, sustainable construction can be a marketing advantage.
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?
- Planning principles. The site provides a set of planning principles for developers to incorporate into proposals.
Neighborhood 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 and must be communicated to builders.
- Cost Analysis and Recommendations. The web site includes a systematic analysis of the costs and benefits of design alternatives at several scales.
List All Analysis and Recommendations»
Links
Statewide
Minnesota Housing Finance Agency: www.mhfa.state.mn.us
Minnesota Planning: www.mnplan.state.mn.us
Minnesota Housing Partnership: www.mhponline.org
Minnesota Multi-housing Association: www.mmha.com
Metro Area
Metropolitan Council (Housing & Redevelopment Plans): www.metrocouncil.org
Minnesota Interfaith Council on Affordable Housing (MICAH): www.micah.org
Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity: www.tchabitat.org
Outstate
Greater Minnesota Housing Fund: www.gmhf.com
National
Habitat for Humanity International, www.habitat.org
Affordable Housing Finance: www.housingfinance.com
Enterprise Foundation: www.enterprisefoundation.org
Homeownership Assistance Council: www.ruralhome.org
HUD User: www.huduser.org
National Center for Housing Management: www.nchm.org
Manufactured Housing Institute: www.mfghome.org
National Coalition for the Homeless: nch.ari.net
National Housing Institute: www.nhi.org
National Low Income Housing Coalition: www.nlihc.org
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
Rural Local Initiatives Support Corporation: www.ruralisc.org
Guides
Knowledgeplex www.knowledgeplex.org
Affordable Housing Design Advisor www.designadvisor.org
Build America Program, U.S. Department of Energy, www.eren.doe.gov/buildings/building_america
Energy & Environment
Green Institute: www.greeninstitute.org
Minnesota Office of Environmental Assistance: www.moea.state.mn.us
Minnesotans for an Energy Efficient Economy: www.me3.org
Minnesota Sustainable Communities Network (MnSCN) www.nextstep.state.mn.us
Built Green Colorado www.builtgreen.com
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