COLUMBIA, Md. – Today, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) recognized Enterprise Community Partners (Enterprise), through its community development arm Enterprise Community Development (ECD), for committing to reduce portfolio-wide greenhouse gas emissions by more than 50% within 10 years and to work with DOE to share successful solutions and decarbonization strategies. As a partner in DOE’s Better Climate Challenge, Enterprise Community Development joins more than 50 organizations across the U.S. that are driving real-world action toward a low-carbon future.
“Residential energy use accounts for 20% of all greenhouse gas emissions across the country, meaning homes are a critical piece of addressing the climate crisis. Enterprise is fully committed to bringing the health and environmental benefits of green building to all of our residents,” said Christine Madigan, interim president, Enterprise Community Development. “We are honored to participate in the Better Climate Challenge, and we look forward to working with the Department of Energy and our partners to expedite the decarbonization process nationwide.”
Enterprise has been a leader in climate-ready homes and communities for nearly two decades. In 2004, the organization launched Enterprise Green Communities (EGC), which remains the only national green building program created with and for the affordable housing sector. Today, 31 states and Washington, D.C. promote or require EGC certification through their Low-Income Housing Tax Credit programs, and 10,000 homes are certified each year. Enterprise advocates for better climate policy at the federal, state, and local level, offers technical assistance and training to hundreds of partners each year, and raises awareness about the need for a just transition away from fossil fuels that prioritizes low-income households and communities of color.
As one of the largest nonprofit affordable housing providers in the U.S., Enterprise Community Development is committed to bringing the benefits of green and resilient building to the 23,000 residents it serves across the Mid-Atlantic. To reach and exceed its emissions goal, ECD will continue to install solar photovoltaic systems on its 114 properties, a process which began in 2019, with the goal of creating nearly 50 MW of solar generating capacity over the next seven to 10 years. Enterprise Community Development is also piloting battery energy storage systems and bi-directional electric vehicle charging stations, with plans to roll these systems out across all properties to power building systems and support residents in the event of electrical grid blackouts.
“Better Climate Challenge partners like Enterprise are committing to decarbonize across their portfolio of buildings, plants, and fleets and share effective strategies to transition our economy to clean energy,” said U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm. “Their leadership and innovation are crucial in our collective fight against climate change while strengthening the U.S. economy.”
About Enterprise Community Partners
Enterprise is a national nonprofit that exists to make a good home possible for the millions of families without one. We support community development organizations on the ground, aggregate and invest capital for impact, advance housing policy at every level of government, and build and manage communities ourselves. Since 1982, we have invested $64 billion and created 951,000 homes across all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands – all to make home and community places of pride, power and belonging. Join us at enterprisecommunity.org.
Contact:
Jordan Cooke
212-784-5703
jcooke@groupgordon.com