NEW YORK, June 25, 2020 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- The NHP Foundation (NHPF) is pleased to announce that its affordable SRO property in Chicago, The Mark Twain, has achieved Enterprise Green Communities certification, the country's only national green building certification program designed explicitly for the affordable housing sector featuring a comprehensive set of guidelines to encourage green building practices.
"Attaining our first Green Communities certification for our first SRO rehab in Chicago is a point of pride for NHPF as we work to design and build sustainably in the area," said Mecky Adnani, Sr. VP, NHPF and the lead developer on The Mark Twain undertaking.
The work within the SRO included all new mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems including a new extremely energy-efficient variable refrigerant flow mechanical system for central heat and air conditioning for all units.
In addition to succeeding with all mandatory program criteria, the project achieved the points required for certification by:
- Being a compact development (with three times the density of the census block in which the project is located)
- Developing in proximity to critical resources for healthy living and access to opportunity including access to public transportation (with a Chicago Transit Authority Red Line Station which provides 24-hour a day public transportation at the corner; access to three different bus lines within 175 feet; and bike lanes on the street where the project is located)
- Increasing accessibility to fresh local food, 0.1 miles from the Division St. Farmer's Market
- Offering Universal Design, with 20% of the units designed to meet ICC/ANSI A117.1 Type A requirements
- Reducing energy usage with Home Energy Rating System (HERS) Index Scores lower more efficient than required by the program.
According to The Mark Twain architect, Rich Klein, Weese Langley Weese Architects LTD, "It's a privilege to have a client dedicated to bringing this level of sustainability to the preservation of this historic building. The building is 29% more efficient than it is required to be by the energy code and we achieved a 29% indoor water use reduction."
The Enterprise Green Communities Criteria was created in 2010 to yield lowered utility costs, a healthier living environment and increased sustainability while benefiting the financial stability of both residents and affordable housing owners. Chicago has seen 16 Green Communities certified buildings since the program's inception.
"Maintaining affordability through preservation of SRO housing, as NHPF is doing with the Mark Twain, is so important for the city. And by rehabbing the Mark Twain to the Green Communities Criteria, NHPF has ensured that they've created a smarter, more energy-efficient building that will provide stable, healthy and sustainable homes for years to come," said Krista Egger, National Initiatives Vice President, Enterprise Community Partners.
About The NHP Foundation
Headquartered in New York City with offices in Washington, DC, and Chicago, IL, The NHP Foundation (NHPF) was launched on January 30, 1989, as a publicly supported 501(c)(3) not-for-profit real estate corporation. Since that time NHPF has invested nearly $1.2 billion in the preservation of affordable housing throughout 15 states and the District of Columbia. The investing of these funds has resulted in economic stability for thousands of seniors, families, and children. Communities have been enriched, school systems have remained intact, local businesses sustained their patrons and residents retained their employment. Through Family-Centered Coaching, NHPF's subsidiary Operation Pathways engages with, and assists, families experiencing poverty and other hardship, to problem-solve together. Through partnerships with major financial institutions, the public sector, faith-based initiatives, and other not-for-profit organizations, NHPF has 57 properties, including more than 10,000 units. For more information, please visit http://www.nhpfoundation.org.
About Enterprise Community Partners
Enterprise is a proven and powerful nonprofit that improves communities and people's lives by making well-designed homes affordable and connected to opportunity. As a social enterprise, we bring together the nationwide know-how, policy leadership, partners, donors and investors to multiply the impact of local affordable housing development. Over more than 35 years, Enterprise has created 662,000 homes, invested more than $52.9 billion and touched millions of lives. Join us at http://www.EnterpriseCommunity.org.
About Weese Langley Weese Architects Ltd.
Weese Langley Weese is a full-service architectural practice with strong Midwestern roots. Established in 1977, WLW works primarily with institutional and not-for-profit organizations on a wide variety of project types and sizes, including both new construction and adaptive reuse. The firm has developed extensive experience in academic, cultural, religious and multi-unit residential buildings. Services include master planning, architectural design, and interior design, with special focus on program development and a holistic, detail oriented approach that considers a range of issues from the overall building to furniture design. WLW strives for architecture that grows from the specifics of the individual program, the built context, and the vision of the client. The project team is organized to work intensely with each client to jointly discover the opportunities inherent in each project. For more information, please visit http://www.wlwltd.com
SOURCE NHP Foundation
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