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Enterprise Green Communities efforts to mainstream green principles and practices in the affordable housing industry have been recognized in a ground breaking new book by author Greg Katz: Greening Our Built World Costs, Benefits, and Strategies. The book examines the broader potential for green design to answer the fundamental question of whether the benefits of green design outweigh the costs. The book includes a chapter on the Green Communities Initiative, highlighting Enterprise’s landmark study: Incremental Cost, Measurable Savings: Enterprise Green Communities Criteria The study demonstrates the savings and benefits associated with meeting the Green Communities Criteria in affordable housing.

The Enterprise Incremental Cost, Measurable Savings” evaluated the costs and performance of more than 40 Green Communities developments relative to conventional affordable housing. The analysis demonstrates that:

• It is cost-effective to green affordable homes: the financial benefits greatly exceed the additional cost of greening.
• Holistically designed green affordable homes can deliver demonstrable health, economic, and environmental benefits to low-income communities

 Request your free copy of Incremental Cost, Measurable Savings

Enterprise’s commitment to green building is demonstrative of its dedication to sound investment in low-income communities.

Enterprise backing affordable- housing effort, challenges builders to do the same.

Baltimore Sun, by Jamie Smith Hopkins

Enterprise has released Incremental Cost, Measurable Savings: Enterprise Green Communities Criteria, a first-of-its-kind study showing the cost effectiveness of meeting Enterprise Green Communities Criteria, the only comprehensive green building framework for affordable housing.

In summary, estimated lifetime savings exceed the initial investment made to incorporate the Enterprise Green Communities Criteria into affordable housing. Green affordable homes offer significant health, economic and environmental benefits to residents by addressing energy efficiency, water conservation, use of healthy materials, high-quality indoor air and location of affordable housing. According to the report released October 21, 2009, integrating the required green measures from the Criteria also can produce substantial increases in the quality of life of residents living in the housing.

“The data points in this study are all the proof we need that fundamental change is possible and on the way.”  “We had a strong conviction five years ago when we launched the first phase of Enterprise Green Communities – and now we are going to take best practices and make them common practice.”

Read the full report. (PDF 3MB)

Making a bold move for systemic change in green affordable housing, Enterprise today announced a groundbreaking $4 billion commitment to launch the next generation of its Green Communities initiative. One of the largest private investments ever in green affordable housing, this commitment will accelerate catalytic change in the affordable housing industry and create significant positive impact in the lives of low-income individuals and families across the country. As a cornerstone to the announcement, the organization also released a first-of-its-kind study proving the overall return on investment and cost effectiveness of meeting the Enterprise Green Communities Criteria when building affordable housing.

“The time for this work has never been more urgent,” said Doris W. Koo, president and CEO, Enterprise Community Partners, Inc. “Enterprise Green Communities works at the intersection of today’s foreclosure crisis, our nation’s health care challenges and the rising tide of environmental responsibility. Not only can we succeed with this mission, we must succeed. For low-income families and for all Americans, now is the time for bold solutions and real progress. We ask everyone to join us in making all communities green communities.”

Building on its own commitment, Enterprise today issued a national call to action to the public, private, and nonprofit sectors to make all affordable housing – new and existing – green by 2020. The next generation of Enterprise Green Communities will be the catalyst for unprecedented energy, environmental and health benefits to hundreds of thousands of families in neighborhoods across America.

“We want everything Enterprise touches to be green by 2013,” said Charles R. Werhane, president and CEO, Enterprise Community Investment, Inc. “We now have the proof that it works and we are poised to take the initiative to the next level. By bringing more innovative and responsive financing tools to our partners, we are pushing forward systemic change in our industry. The next generation of Enterprise Green Communities is our commitment to expand our efforts nationwide.”

Read the full press release. (PDF 57K)