Header Image: E+Highland, courtesy of Studio G Architects

Author’s Note: ILFI has just registered our 50th affordable housing project! To learn more about these projects and our Affordable Housing Program, read below.

The latest cohort of ILFI’s Affordable Housing Pilot Projects was selected to join the program in October 2020, after an unprecedented number of applicants responded to the Call for Proposals. This group is the fourth and largest in the history of ILFI’s Affordable Housing Program, with 20 projects spread across 10 states. The teams are attempting a range of ILFI certifications (including Living Building Challenge (both Living and Petal), Core, Zero Carbon, and Zero Energy) and vary in scale from clustered single-family residences to 9-story multi-family buildings. See the Trim Tab article published in February 2021 for more details about these projects. 

ILFI’s Affordable Housing Program includes opportunities to join educational sessions and peer-to-peer discussions, receive additional technical assistance from ILFI technical staff, and a commitment to participate in shared research and learning. Each month, an all-teams meeting (open to all ILFI affordable housing projects in current and past cohorts) is held with a focus on relevant topics including barriers and solutions affordable housing teams are encountering in pursuing ILFI certifications. These meetings often feature guest speakers from ILFI and other organizations. Due to the large number of participants in these meetings, smaller, discussion-based meetings are also held that allow team members to opt in to particular topics of interest. We have held 28 of these discussion group meetings since November 2020, featuring speakers, networking and information sharing, as well as work on shared research projects. Additionally, ILFI has provided detailed technical reports to five of the project teams, providing feedback on their documentation and the requirements of ILFI certifications, and helped one team facilitate their Biophilic Design Charrette.

As we are almost halfway through the formal period of engagement for this latest cohort of 20 projects, we took some time to check in with all of the teams. Below, we share project stats and updates and other key highlights. 

Progress and Impacts:

  • Project teams have reported the following successes to ILFI:
    • Raising the team’s awareness, knowledge, and priorities of sustainable, lower carbon design choices in the building  structure and materials, and ways to maximize envelope performance.
    • Specifying more sustainable materials on budget (reported by multiple teams)
      • “Use of Red List [Free materials] has spread deeper into our specs.” 
      • “I think we have managed to reduce a lot of Red List materials by specifying Declare-labeled products such as drywall, paint, roof assemblies, and insulation. Had we not been a part of ILFI’s Affordable Housing Program, we might have used whatever product that was recommended to us.”
      • “We have become more aware of what products to use, and have done more research on healthy, Red List Free products, and are seeking to use products that are Declare-labeled and have other healthy certifications. We have talked to many manufacturers and told them about Declare, so it has been good to expose them to this movement and get them on board with joining.”
      • “Incorporation of Red List Free ceiling fans, elimination of PVC-containing flooring and windows”
      • Ability to mobilize around materials for other affordable projects
    • “Biophillic Design charrette and thinking about the points of equity and inclusion have been helpful for our team”
    • “Being awarded NYSERDA Building of Excellence!” (Read about the Seventy-Six and the other winners here)
    • “Engaging the community has been positive. They have embraced the additional sustainability measures beyond code.”

The cohort participants share their experience and how participation in ILFI’s Affordable Housing Program and pursuit of the Living Building Challenge or other ILFI certification has impacted their organization’s approach to building housing:

  • “I believe that going through this process has brought the conversation about sustainability to the forefront of concerns. We are also learning how much effort is required when we set a higher bar for our sustainability standards.”
  • “It has helped us to scrutinize areas where we can make more sustainable design decisions, and to see where our developers are more enthusiastic to invest.”
  • “Very grateful for the detailed references, advice on materials, strategies, available options etc. This has been one of most beneficial experiences with a very well run program of sharing of expertise and lessons learned. Everything has been translated to other projects including those without housing, but with tight budgets. Kudos to ILFI!!!!! Wish that we could do this for all project types. Always impressed by ILFI, but this program has exceeded expectations.”
  • “Consider the benefits of participating in [ILFI’s Affordable Housing Program] even if certification is not achievable, and make sure the client will be satisfied even if certification is not achieved. The materials resources have been especially valuable.”

The fourth phase of ILFI’s pilot program will continue until June 2023. This group of project teams is pushing barriers on scale, typology, and geography. The teams have been sharing resources with each other and making a lot of progress through a collaborative approach to materials research. ILFI is thrilled to work with each one of these innovative and mission-driven project teams. We look forward to providing more updates to the ILFI community on the research and progress from this group of projects. If you are working on an affordable housing project and interested in joining this pioneering group, email affordablehousing@living-future.org to get involved.

Above images: Block Home 012. Images courtesy of Facing Homelessness.

We also have some exciting updates from previous affordable housing cohorts:

  • Hopeworks Station Phase II: Passed their Preliminary Audit in July 2021. The owner’s Green Team is working on resident engagement with energy use and other sustainability measures, while balancing support for transitioning from homelessnss.
  • The Apartments at Mill Creek: All four homes are occupied and in their performance period. The project plans to certify next year and is, so far, on track to become the first certified Living affordable housing project ever.
  • Harbor Square: The team held their grand opening on August 2nd, 2021. They are planning to certify Zero Energy after the completion of the performance period next year.
  • Block Project: Block Home 012 completed and obtained a Certificate of Occupancy on Dec 7, 2021.
  • Orchard Gardens: After being on hold for more than three years, the project has been funded and is exploring ILFI certification options.

Nexus Builds 2020: This project has passed their Preliminary Audit and on track to certify as Living.

Written By

Susan Puri

As Affordable Housing Director, Susan helps affordable housing projects achieve Living Building Certification through the Institute’s pilot program. She also helps develop resources and educational materials. Originally from the Atlanta area, Susan attended Georgia Tech where she received a Bachelor of Architecture and a Master of City and Regional Planning, with a focus on Affordable Housing Development. She has worked in urban planning in Georgia and in Beijing, China. Susan also worked as a LEED Reviewer with Epsten Group for five years, reviewing LEED applications from more than 30 countries and five rating systems. Susan is very much looking forward to exploring the intersection of affordable housing and sustainability at the International Living Future Institute. When not working, Susan loves traveling and is currently learning Hindi.