The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) and the Bank of America Charitable Foundation announced the opening of the application period for the expanded 2014 Affordable Green Neighborhoods Grant Program.
The program, which awards financial and educational resources to developers of affordable housing in North America that are committed to building sustainable communities through the LEED for Neighborhood Development program, is made possible by an $850,000 grant from the Bank of America Charitable Foundation.
This year the program will expand to 14 awardees from 10 in 2012, the most recent year that grants were awarded. Applications will be accepted from now until July 11, 2014.
LEED for Neighborhood Development is a green neighborhood rating system that integrates the principles of smart growth, new urbanism and green building, while benefitting communities by reducing urban sprawl, increasing transportation choices and decreasing automobile dependence, encouraging healthy living, and protecting threatened species.
“Ensuring universal access to healthy and affordable housing for all people is a critical element of our pursuit of a sustainable built environment,” said Rick Fedrizzi, president, CEO and founding chair, USGBC. “Green buildings and neighborhoods are about the people who inhabit them every day, and Bank of America is committed to creating vibrant, walkable and affordable communities that enhance the quality of life for everyone who calls them home.”
“Together, Bank of America and USGBC are bringing to life the best plans in sustainable community development throughout North America,” said Alex Liftman, global environmental executive, Bank of America. “The continued growth of the LEED for Neighborhood Development and the Affordable Green Neighborhood programs showcases how communities can design and build in a way that protects our environment while enhancing economic vitality.”
A review committee of industry leaders will award 14 affordable housing projects in the U.S. and Canada with the following support:
-
Cash award of $25,000 USD to be used to pursue LEED for Neighborhood Development certification
-
Complimentary LEED for Neighborhood Development reference guide
-
Registration for the online LEED for Neighborhood Development webinar series
-
Registration for a LEED for Neighborhood Development educational workshop
-
Waived registration and exam fees for one member of each project team to pursue the LEED Green Associate professional credential
-
Monthly support calls and direct access for technical inquiries
-
One registration for the National Affordable Green Homes & Sustainable Communities Summit during the Greenbuild International Conference and Expo in New Orleans
-
Travel stipend to attend Greenbuild 2014
-
In addition to the award package, three to four projects will be selected to receive a two-day, in-person technical assistance session with a team of USGBC and Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI) staff, valued at $3,000. The in-person meetings provide an opportunity for USGBC and GBCI staff to provide intensive, dedicated assistance to projects pursuing certification. The application form provides interested projects the opportunity to apply for the selective technical assistance sessions.
This is the third round of funding the Bank of America Charitable Foundation has provided for the Affordable Green Neighborhoods Grant Program. The 2014 program has grown to include support for additional projects, in-person technical assistance visits and an expanded focus to include Canadian projects.
Through the previous cycles of the grant program in 2012 and 2010, USGBC has provided assistance to 20 affordable housing redevelopment projects across the country, representing the creation of 8,448 rental units and 2,391 for-sale units. All projects are being designed and built to the highest standards of environmental sustainability and indoor air quality, with the majority reserved for low-income residents.
Applicants for the program will be notified of their status in early September. To learn more about the Affordable Green Neighborhoods Grant Program and/or to apply, visit www.usgbc.org/initiatives/grants/affordable-neighborhoods.
Related Stories
| Apr 26, 2013
Decaying city: Exhibit demonstrates the fragility of the man-made world
Theater set designer Johanna Mårtensson built a model cityscape out of bread only to watch it decay.
| Apr 25, 2013
SmithGroupJJR hires Lise Newman as Workplace Studio Leader in Detroit
SmithGroupJJR, one of the nation's largest architecture, engineering and planning firms, has hired architect Lise Newman, AIA, as Workplace Studio leader at its Detroit, Mich. office.
| Apr 25, 2013
Colorado State University, DLR Group team to study 12 high-performance schools
DLR Group and the Institute for the Built Environment at Colorado State University have collaborated on a research project to evaluate the effect of green school design on occupants and long-term building performance.
| Apr 24, 2013
More positive momentum for Architecture Billings Index
All regions and building sectors continue to report positive business conditions
| Apr 24, 2013
North Carolina bill would ban green rating systems that put state lumber industry at disadvantage
North Carolina lawmakers have introduced state legislation that would restrict the use of national green building rating programs, including LEED, on public projects.
| Apr 24, 2013
Los Angeles may add cool roofs to its building code
Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa wants cool roofs added to the city’s building code. He is also asking the Department of Water and Power (LADWP) to create incentives that make it financially attractive for homeowners to install cool roofs.
| Apr 23, 2013
Building material innovation: Concrete cloth simplifies difficult pours
Milliken recently debuted a flexible fabric that allows for concrete installations on slopes, in water, and in other hard to reach places—without the need for molds or mixing.
| Apr 23, 2013
Architects to MoMA: Don't destroy Williams/Tsien project
Richard Meier, Thom Mayne, Steven Holl, Hugh Hardy and Robert A.M. Stern are among the prominent architects who on Monday called for the Museum of Modern Art to reconsider its decision to demolish the former home of the American Folk Art Museum.
| Apr 22, 2013
Top 10 green building projects for 2013 [slideshow]
The AIA's Committee on the Environment selected its top ten examples of sustainable architecture and green design solutions that protect and enhance the environment.
