1. PANEL DISCUSSION: RESOURCES AND CHALLENGES FOR GREEN PRESERVATION Presented By: Mike Pacheco Date: September 28, 2010 Audience: Partners In Innovation Policy Forum
4. 4 CHFA’S GREEN INITIATIVES: A TIMELINE 2005-Global Green QAP Rating-Colorado “C” 2009 QAP Energy Star & Other Green Requirements Added 2008 QAP OEMC Funding Grants 2010 QAP Green Communities 2007 QAP OEMC Funding Grants Green Communities Criteria 78-04 2008 2009 2010 Mayor’s Greenprint Denver Initiative 78-Energy Effic. Code Req. 04-Amend 37 07-HB 1146 GEO NEED Grants HERA Act Denver Green Jobs Program Denver Tree Program Governor’s New Energy Economy Initiative Denver Convention Center Receives LEED Certification DOH Green Initiative
5. Site Selection Site Water Energy HOW DOES Green Communities® ADDRESS THE ENVIRONMENTAL CHALLENGES OF THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT? The Green Communities Design and construction practices meet specified standards, resolving much of the negative impact of buildings on their occupants and on the environment. Indoor Environmental Quality Materials WaterEfficiency Indoor Environmental Quality Materials & Resources Energy & Atmosphere
6. At CHFA, how are we achieving sustainable affordable development? ENVIRONMENT Environmental Standards LIHTC Application Projects that are economically viable PEOPLE ECONOMICS QAP A Process that is beneficial to the Affordable Housing Community
7. LIHTC Application’sGreen Communities Checklist & Certification’s Role: Requires new construction projects to score a minimum of 35 points and acquisition/rehab projects to score a minimum of 30 points Requires that adequate financial resources are available to fund the green building to meet the Green Communities Standards Requires that a project meet all financial underwriting standards 7 LIHTC Application Insures that Projects will be economically viable
8. 8 2010 Qualified Allocation Plan’s Role: Allows one document to be used by a developer to certify compliance when applying for resources from each entity. Requires that each project comply with all mandatory provisions of the Green Communities Green Building Criteria, holds a charrette & submits a green development Plan Establishes a self certifying program that requires that either a licensed architect or engineer & the project owner certify compliance. QAP A Process that adds value to the Affordable Housing Community
12. From yesterday’s hopeful expectations - to today’s REALITY 11 Affordable Colorado Projects SUSTAINABLE SITES Adjacent to Transit WATER EFFICIENT Water-efficient appliances & plumbing fixtures ENERGY EFFICIENT Energy consumption Savings to reduce utility bills ENVIRONMENTALLY BENEFICIAL MATERIALS Recycled Content in Core and Shell Materials Locally Obtained Materials INDOOR ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITYIndividual Control INNOVATIVE GREEN PROCESS O&M practices and Low Maintenance Design
Thus from modest beginnings; an alliance has been built between CHFA, the City of Denver’s Office of Economic Development, the State of Colorado’s Division of Housing, green designers & architects, affordable housing specialists and sustainability advocates. You see for a number of years; even though our Affordable Housing Community “Greened” some great individual affordable projects; these efforts were not part of a strong sustainable collaborative; but the efforts of a few dedicated developers with; personal initiative and commitment to Green Building; and who did not receive a lot of support or financial assistance.But the greening of Colorado was moving in the right direction. The Colorado legislature passed a law as far back as 1978; requiring all jurisdictions that were adopting or updating building codes; to include energy efficiency requirements for both residential and commercial buildings. The energy requirement at that time was based; on Chapter 53 of the 1979 Uniform Building Code (UBC) -- a codified version of ASHRAE Standard 90-1975. In 2004 Amendment 37 was adopted; which opened the door for a series of energy efficiency bills and initiatives; and on May 3, 2007; the state legislature passed HB 1146; improving the energy performance of the state's new buildings as part of a comprehensive energy strategy that began with energy efficiency and incorporated renewable energy technologies. HB 1146 called for all Colorado jurisdictions that had a building code in place to adopt a minimum energy code standard, either the 2003 IECC or 2006 IECC by July 1, 2008.
At CHFA we got our wake up call in 2005; when Colorado received a “C” rating from Global Green; who had rated each State’s Qualified Allocation Plans (QAP); basing the rating on the rigor with which a QAP included Green Initiatives in the allocation process. Recognizing that we could do better; CHFA slowly began introducing Green Initiatives to the QAP from 2007 to 2009.
Finally, with the passage of the HERA Legislation in 2008; requiring that a QAP consider the “Energy Efficiency” and “Historic Nature” of a project; when allocating credits; CHFA incorporated a comprehensive Energy Efficiency policy within our QAP. Today CHFA, the City of Denver and the Colorado Division of Housing have adopted; one flexible comprehensive efficiency standard. In addition, a process has been set up to influence how the State’s limited affordable housing resources are allocated by adding an energy standard to the set of criteria used to set funding priorities.Today ; all projects funded by any of these three collaborators has to substantially meet Low-Water Landscaping (e.g. Denver Water Board Standards), and one of the following Standards (listed in order of preference):Enterprise Community Partners, Green Communities 2008 or later CriteriaU.S. Green Building Council, LEED for Homes, Silver or above for single family & low-rise buildings and LEED for New Construction version 2.2 or later for commercial and residential high-rise buildings above 3 storiesThe most recently released International Energy Efficiency Codes (IECC)U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Energy Star for New Homes
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Meaning that; each affordable building approved for financial support by the Collaborative; must become a Green Communities Certified Building!Once construction documents are completed; CHFA will use a two-step process; to verify that projects have incorporated all of the required criteria.First, the developer will be required to submit a certification of compliance signed by the project’s architect or engineer and the project sponsor. These certification forms will describe the method and materials used to achieve compliance.Second, trained CHFA staff will review the construction documents and certifications to confirm compliance.
Our Green collaborative; is building momentum and is enjoying “tangible progress”! During 2010 28-projects applied for tax credits with all scoring at or above the minimum Green Communities Score and agreeing to Certification; of the 28 projects; the following 11-projects were awarded tax credits.These 11-projects represent over $83 million in tax credit equity that will be invested to build 800 green affordable rental units.
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Review SlideThe Green Communities Criteria gives developers more options for achieving the required minimum score; and includes clarifying language; related to intended methods of meeting the criteria; and references the newest Energy Star for Homes standard.It includes 40 mandatory criteria and 23 optional criteria.
Review SlideTruly affordable green housing, even for very low-income residents, can be developed at a cost; not significantly different from that of conventional design.
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You can learn more about the Green Communities program at http://www.greencommunitiesonline.orgVisit CHFA’s website to download the 2010 QAP and the LIHTC Application, which contains the Green Communities Criteria Checklist and Certification at:http://www.chfainfo.com/multifam/multifamily_developers/LIHTC%20allocation/LIHTC%20allocation.icm