Greening Affordable Housing on a Budget

or

Where There's a Will,There's a Way

Building Futures' Properties

Sunflower House: 20 larger units, office space, laundry room, common areas, gut rehab, 1998

Marigold Place: 7 larger units, laundry room, parking lot, new construction 2001

Daffodil House: 32 efficiency units, laundry room, 1930 construction with gut rehab in 1987, purchased in 2009; minor rehab

Sunflower/Marigold Baseline

double-paned windows water-saving (at the time) shower heads and

faucet aerators, low-flow toilets reasonably efficient unit HVAC systems individually-metered gas and electricity for

each unit, but as 811 properties, utility payments for all units units are made by properties; individual thermostats in each unit controlled by residents

Daffodil House Baseline

All electric building, units separately metered with water heaters in each unit and through the wall heat pumps

Double-paned windows in fair condition Poor wall insulation Appliances, heat pumps, and water heaters

needed replacement Extremely high electric bills for some units due

to poor equipment

Implementation Timeline

2004: focus on energy conservation by educating tenants about energy usage

2007-2008: received DC DDOE equipment upgrades – lighting upgrades, programmable thermostats, more efficient shower heads and faucet aerators, Energy Star refrigerators and dishwashers; implemented Energy Star replacement policy and comparing projected utility cost among models; reviewed Consumer Reports ratings to avoid purchasing brands with poor repair histories

Landscaping for Energy Savings

Installed landscaping at Sunflower House and Marigold Place, including shrubs along foundation; deciduous shade trees to mitigate direct sun in summer; create minimal shading in winter after leaves drop

Resident Education Program Implemented comprehensive resident education

program, including incentive payments; monthly summaries of gas and electricity usage by unit, with comparisons for usage across similar sized units; each unit received a rating of Excellent, Good, Average, Fair, or Poor, compared to other similar units; utility summary also included seasonal tips for residents, e.g. open your windows (spring/fall) instead of running your heat/air conditioning; dress warmly (undershirts, sweaters); add an extra blanket to your bed and turn down your thermostat at night (and trained staff to program thermostats in spring/fall)

Improving HVAC Maintenance

2008-2009: began thorough and systematic fall/spring maintenance of HVAC systems and regular replacement of air filters;

Also installed LED exit signs at all properties (one-year payback)

Retaining Wall/Parking Lot

2009-2010: replaced retaining wall at Marigold Place and coated with light colored synthetic stucco to reduce heat island effect;

Also replaced asphalt parking lot surface with permeable pavers to reduce risk of flooding and reduce heat island effect

Daffodil Construction Upgrades

2010: received from DDOE significant upgrades of equipment at Daffodil House including efficient low-boy electric water heaters in each unit, through-the-wall Energy Star heat pumps, and Energy Star refrigerators; also invested in Sterling dual-force toilets for liquid/solid waste; signed lease for solar photovoltaic system on roof;

developed plans to install a cool roof membrane and significant roof insulation

Sunflower Lighting Upgrades

2010: installed second generation tube fluorescent ballasts and tubs in all existing tube fluorescent light fixtures – kitchens, bathrooms, common areas; received federal subsidies that partially paid for these investments, which had a 15-month return on investment.

There's Still More to Do Check seals and frames of existing double-paned windows

and repair as needed; consider replacing with higher quality windows as feasible

Increase attic/roof insulation at Sunflower and Marigold

Check wall insulation at all three properties and add as funds become available

Educate residents and staff about existing energy saving features and how to benefit from them; create additional incentives for residents

Consider installing motion detector light switches throughout properties that will turn off lights in rooms after periods of inactivity

Even More! Install LED lighting as it becomes more cost effective than

compact fluorescent bulbs

Install higher efficiency HVAC systems at or before failure, depending on available funding

Install additional deciduous trees at Sunflower House that will shade the entire west facade of the building during summer afternoons (caseytrees.org can provide trees)

Install cool roofs at all properties

Install solar water heating or photovoltaic systems at all properties, maximizing available roof space

Questions?

Contact info: Email: steve.seuser@gmail.com Phone: (202) 487-6065