Over the past 20 years, Enterprise Green Communities has proven to be both ahead of the curve and fully in sync with its core constituents: affordable housing developers. The recent rollout of several key updates to the criteria demonstrates, once again, that the nation’s only green building standard created with and for the affordable housing industry can flex to support developers and meet our sector where it is.

This summer, we introduced significant updates to the Operating Energy category of the 2020 Green Communities Criteria, the latest iteration of the enduring standard. Collectively, the updates create pathways that allow developers to achieve the most advanced approaches to affordable housing energy use.

The updates come at a time when many funding opportunities to pursue efficient, all-electric building remain available through the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). The adjustments to the Green Communities criteria offer developers new inroads to these decarbonization resources, toward creating homes that are healthier, more comfortable, and cheaper to operate.  

Here are the four things to know about these updates.

1. Green Communities now recognizes developments that achieve the highest level of certification while also eliminating combustion.   

A new level of Green Communities certification – Certification Plus Zero Emissions – recognizes multifamily homes built to meet the most advanced performance standards in addition to eliminating greenhouse gases that result from powering buildings. With this new classification, project teams and developers can easily track their efficiency and electrification goals for certification in tandem with meeting funding requirements that call for high-performance buildings, zero emissions, and use of renewable energy.

Also: stay tuned for a new zero-emissions designation coming this fall that recognizes the unique budget constraints of rehab developments.

2. Developers embarked on a building retrofit now have a more direct route to meet the highest tier of Enterprise Green Communities certification.

Enabling existing multifamily homes to achieve higher energy performance and zero emissions puts affordable housing on track to transition to clean energy, which is critical to managing building operating costs and responding to climate change.

An update to Moving to Zero Energy (criteria 5.2b) of Green Communities offers retrofits a more direct path to achieving Certification Plus, the highest level of certification. It also makes it more feasible for different project types, including budget-constrained retrofits, to implement rigorous building performance strategies. As a result, more developments can achieve their advanced energy performance goals, leading to more comfortable and cost-effective homes for people.

This new, clearer approach to Certification Plus for retrofits recognizes the importance of preserving existing multifamily homes and making sure their path to decarbonization is no less accessible than that of new-construction developments.

3. All projects now have a path to achieve the highest certification level and align with federal zero-emissions guidelines.

Through a modification to Achieving Zero Energy (criteria 5.4), Green Communities has forged pathways for affordable housing developments prioritizing zero energy to achieve its highest standard, Certification Plus, and to align with the Department of Energy’s National Definition of a Zero Emissions Building, Part 1: Operational Emissions. The new pathways are accessible to new-construction developments and substantial or moderate rehabs, including buildings that are occupied during construction.

Th modification positions developers to qualify for funding through the IRA and supports the multifamily sector’s commitment to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and lowering residents’ monthly utility bills.

4. Questions? Green Communities is your go-to source for resources and support on advanced energy performance.  

Since 2005, collaboration, engagement, and peer learning have remained vital staples of Green Communities. That commitment continues.

Developers and project teams can access more information about the criteria’s advanced performance updates here: Enterprise Green Communities Criteria and Certification. You will also find information about upcoming workshops, office hours and additional resources.

Teams may also reach out directly to our Green Communities experts at: certification@enterprisecommunity.org.