For Immediate Release: April 26, 2007
Media Contacts: Emma Filar, Marketing & Communications Associate
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Sustainable Design Symposium: News Release
Sustainable Design: New Directions in Affordable Housing Symposium
WASHINGTON, D.C.—As the nation's economy expands and living standards rise, affordable housing has become a pressing concern – a concern not only for affordable housing, but also for homes that are energy-efficient and sustainably designed. Minimizing depletion of natural resources; increasing energy efficiency and conserving water in construction and operations; and incorporating the integration of tree and landscaping strategies to complement the built environment are only a few measures important to the design and construction of green affordable housing. In addition to the green design elements of affordable housing projects, financing is a prominent issue. The tax-exempt financing that affordable housing projects make possible is an incentive to create mixed-income projects. Such mixed-income projects are starting to appear across the country, in markets from Los Angeles, CA to Providence, RI.
Sustainable Design: New Directions in Affordable Housing is a day-long symposium on affordable housing's new directions, leading experts from across the country will explore three main themes—green design process and technologies; costs and benefits of green design; and realistic strategies for financing. Following opening remarks, Jonathan F.P. Rose, a developer of diverse, mixed-use, environmentally sound communities across the United States, will give a keynote address discussing green affordable housing principles drawn from projects in a wide range of settings, from inner cities to gateway communities, from old suburbs to newly transforming downtowns. Elinor R. Bacon, president, E.R. Bacon Development, with more than 30 years experience in housing, real estate development, and community development in the public and private sectors, will moderate the symposium.
Throughout the day participants will examine three case studies ranging in size and location, and involving both new construction and rehabilitated units. Featured case studies include: 396 mixed-income rental units at Maverick Landing in East Boston, MA; a mix of new construction and rehabilitation of a historic building at Faison Mews in Camden, NJ; and Prospect Terrace in Asheville, NC, a project first completed under the North Carolina Healthy Built Homes Initiative, with 17 cottage homes and condos sold at affordable and market rates. Extensive background data will enable participants to see facts on costs and benefits of green affordable housing projects, including making the case for lesser construction costs and energy savings.
Participatory workshops focused on the symposium's three themes will be led by the country's foremost experts on the subjects, such as Sam Rashkin, national director, Energy Star for Homes, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency; Gregory Melanson, senior vice president, Bank of America; and Ed Connelly, president, New Ecology Inc. Project developer-architect teams will be on hand to share their experiences in going green and the lessons they learned in the process. Doris W. Koo, president and CEO of Enterprise Community Partners, Inc., will lead a closing session examining how local, state, and federal governments can work with businesses and the non-profit sector to jointly encourage green affordable housing options for the future.
Prepaid registration required. Walk-in registration based on availability. $50 Museum members; $95 nonmembers; $45 students. The registration fee includes a boxed lunch plus morning and afternoon coffee breaks. Nonmember registration includes a discounted one-year individual membership to the National Building Museum. AIA Learning Units will be awarded for each session. (Case study descriptions have been prepared by the Home Depot Foundation and Global Green, USA. An extensive analytical description of each case study will be distributed to symposium registrants in advance.)
Symposium Advisory Committee
The National Building Museum thanks representatives from the following organizations who have served on the Symposium Advisory Committee: Bank of America ▪ Enterprise Community Partners ▪ Fannie Mae Foundation ▪ Global Green USA ▪ Habitat for Humanity International ▪ Home Depot Foundation ▪ National Association of Home Builders ▪ National Association of Home Builders Research Center ▪ National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials ▪ National Housing Trust ▪ National Low Income Housing Coalition ▪ U.S. Department of Energy ▪ U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development ▪ U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Sustainable Design: New Directions for Affordable Housing is sponsored by The Home Depot Foundation and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development with additional support from the National Housing Endowment and Bank of America.
The Green House: New Directions in Sustainable Architecture and Design is presented by The Home Depot Foundation with generous support from the ASID Foundation of the American Society of Interior Designers, Bosch home appliances, Portland Cement Association, Benjamin Moore® Paints, EPA/Energy Star, The Nathan Cummings Foundation, U.S. Department of Energy, Band Inc., Global Green, James G. Davis Construction Corporation, The American Institute of Architects, National Association of Home Builders, Smith & Fong Plyboo®, U.S. Green Building Council, 3form Inc., Andersen Corporation, Brighton Cabinetry, Inc., Goldman, Sachs & Co., Hardwood Manufacturers Association, Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates PC, MBCI, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®, Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects, and The Tower Companies. Dwell is the exclusive media partner.
The National Building Museum is America’s leading cultural institution dedicated to advancing the quality of the built environment by educating people about its impact on their lives. Through its exhibitions, educational programs, online content, and publications, the Museum has become a vital forum for the exchange of ideas and information about the world we build for ourselves. Public inquiries: 202.272.2448 or visit www.nbm.org. Connect with us on Twitter: @BuildingMuseum and Facebook.
