Green Urbanism
Green Urbanism Program Case Study: Los Vecinos
Los Vecinos is a 42-unit affordable housing project that meets nearly all of its annual electricity demand through 93 kW of on-site solar photovoltaic power. Located along a light rail line in the southern part of the San Diego metropolitan area, this LEED Platinum certified project is the second Zero Energy Affordable Housing project in the State of California. The project, located on the site of a former dilapidated motel that had the largest number of police calls for any single address in Chula Vista, is a testament to what can be accomplished by a determined development and design team that stands by its commitment to extremely high performance standards. Released March, 2010.
Green Building Criteria in State Low Income Housing Tax Credit Programs, 2009 Update
Global Green's review of the low-income housing tax credit allocation policy shows significant progress being made in the effort to make green building measures standard practice in affordable housing. This development is particularly apparent through a summary of the changes over the last five years to the green building criteria found in state Qualified Allocation Plans (QAPs), which states develop to guide the distribution of federal Low-Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC). For the first time since we started the analysis in 2005, all 50 states were shown to exhibit some aspects of green building in their QAPs. To learn more, download our 2009 report here.
Here are links to Global Green USA’s QAP reports for the previous four years:
Click here for 2008
Click here for 2007
Click here for 2006
Click here for 2005
Green Urbanism Leaders Summit Summary
On February 12 and 13, 2009, Global Green gathered a group of urban and environmental thinkers & doers for two days of discussion on the topic of green urbanism. The goal was to clarify this concept and also to arrive at some degree of agreement on the main principles of green urbanism, especially how to put these ideas into action. Also of importance was to expand the community of people that felt either an affinity to the subject. Out of the summit, the common direction was clear: our ability to rise to this challenge is a function of whether we change how we see our place in the world. Released June, 2009.
Green Affordable Housing Initiative Case Studies
These case studies describe innovative green affordable housing projects that range from maximizing green building techniques with limited resources to meeting net zero goals. You can download all four case studies by clicking the DOWNLOAD link, or click for the individual case studes here: Los Vecinos, SOLARA, Nueva Vista, Colorado Court, First Community Housing.
Blueprint for Greening Affordable Housing: 2nd Edition
Drawing on over a decade of experience by Global Green staff on technical assistance and policy development, the Blueprint for Greening Affordable Housing offers housing developers, designers, advocates, public agency staff, and the financial community specific guidance on green practices and innovative strategies for incorporating green building strategies into the design, construction, and operation of affordable housing developments. The book presents 12 case studies of model developments, including rental, home ownership, special needs, senior, sweat equity, and cohousing from around the United States.
You can download Chapter 2 of the Blueprint - "Integrated Design" - as well as associated Case Studies here.
Green Building Criteria in State Low Income Housing Tax Credit Programs, 2008 Update
Global Green's review of the low-income housing tax credit allocation policy shows that significant progress is being made in the effort to make green building measures standard practice in affordable housing. This development is particularly apparent through a survey of the changes made in the last four years to the green building criteria found in state Qualified Allocation Plans (QAPs), which states develop to guide the distribution of federal Low-Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC). The 2008 QAPs demonstrate an increased emphasis on green building with the inclusion of many new green building criteria or checklist options. To download the 2008 report, click here or click the DOWNLOAD link below.
Healthier, Wealthier, Wiser: A Report on National Green Schools
This report outlines the significant benefits of green schools which include improved learning, reduced operating costs, and better student attendance (which translates into more dollars for school districts). In addition, it provides a green school practitioner guide, case studies, and a reference guide to draft a green school resolution. The report also offers the first overview of Global Green’s landmark green schools initiative in New Orleans made possible by a grant from the Bush Clinton Katrina Fund
Developing Green Building Programs: A Step-By-Step Guide for Local Governments
Global Green USA’s step-by-step guidebook outlining a six-step process that local agencies can utilize to develop their own green building programs. The process was developed based on the real world experience that Global Green has gained in working with local governments to develop green building programs in cities such as, San Francisco, Santa Monica, Pasadena, Irvine, West Hollywood, and New Orleans.
Green Buildings – A Tool for Stemming Climate Change?
This publication talks about the six-step methodology Global Green has developed a for establishing a green building program. Functioning as an umbrella, a green building program integrates and encourages innovation in waste management, stormwater, water conservation, energy efficiency, land use, and public health. Pioneers like Santa Monica laid the foundation for folding green building into local government operations by focusing first on City building projects. This trend continued through the first part of the new millennium, with Southland cities large and small adopting green requirements for public construction.
Green Building Developer Fact Sheets
As part of Global Green's Greening the Tax Credits Campaign, an effort to encourage various states around the country to adopt sustainable building practices as part of the state-administered federal low-income housing tax credit program, we recently published Green Building Developer Fact Sheets, which highlight various sustainable building practices and provide information about local product availability and cost. The first set of fact sheets is for Louisiana, the second set for NY State.
Making Affordable Housing Truly Affordable: Advancing Tax Credit Incentives for Green Building and Healthier Communities
This report presents an analysis of the 2005 tax credit allocation policy for all fifty states and identifies existing green building requirements in affordable housing projects. Greening affordable housing provides direct benefits to needy residents by lowering utility costs and creating healthier living environments. In addition, project developers and operators gain both directly and indirectly through higher quality, more efficient, and more durable projects.
New Home Construction and Home Remodeling Green Building Guidelines
Global Green USA worked with Alameda County and What's Working to develop green building guidelines for building and remodeling homes. Several other Bay Area counties are adapting and using the guidelines as the basis for local green building programs. 2001. For more information about the Alameda County Waste Management Authority programs and green building resources please visit www.stopwaste.org.
Building Blocks
The Building Blocks provide concise information on several of the most important green building issues. This enables community development corporations, for-profit developers, architects, and builders to quickly gain an understanding of green building issues. The Building Blocks can also be used to identify specific opportunities for upcoming development projects.
The Building Blocks also provide eight case studies from the country to illustrate how various strategies and approaches have been implemented in actual projects.
Sustainable Building Guidebook, Checklist and Sourcebook
Developed for the Los Angeles Sustainable Building Program (LASBP). The Guidebook and Checklist outline sustainable building practices and identify cost comparisons. The Sourcebook identifies product manufacturers and suppliers in the Southern California region. Summer 1999.
RoadMaps: Greening the Bottom Line
A guide for retrofitting commercial properties, particularly tenant-occupied office buildings, to improve energy efficiency and reduce operating costs. Summer 1999.
Resource and Energy Efficiency in Public and Assisted Housing/Policy Report
A report outlining recommendations made by participants from a GG USA Roundtable to HUD Secretary Andrew Cuomo on ways to increase resource and energy efficiency and save HUD between $300 million and $1 billion annually. Spring 1999.
