Two affordable multifamily rental communities developed, owned and managed by Community Housing Partners (CHP) received recognition from EarthCraft Virginia Thursday, March 26, in Richmond at its Sixth Annual Sustainable Leadership Awards Ceremony.
Grissom Lane Apartments in Blacksburg earned a Special Recognition award.
The Multifamily Renovation Project of the Year award was bestowed upon Greenstone on 5th Apartments in Charlottesville.
The awards event recognized Virginia leaders in the adoption of green, sustainable housing and brought together more than 100 individuals representing home builders, nonprofit and for-profit housing providers and developers, affordable housing advocates, and those interested in creating green housing opportunities in Virginia.
Awards were presented in a variety of categories to cover new construction, renovation, single family homes, multifamily housing and more.
“Building on a long-standing tradition of environmental, economic and social responsibility, all of CHP’s activities and programs are intended to encourage community revitalization, foster financial stability for our residents, and promote a healthier planet for future generations. It is an honor to be recognized by EarthCraft Virginia for these efforts and to be part of such an esteemed group of award winners who are leading the way in sustainable development,” said CHP Architect Josh Holloway.
Newly developed, designed and constructed by CHP in 2014, Grissom Lane Apartments is a model of low-income housing for residents aged 55 years and older. Each cottage was built to EarthCraft Net-Zero standards, meaning each home should produce as much or more energy than it uses.
Electricity is generated by a 28kW photovoltaic system, while high insulation values, extensive air sealing, Energy Recovery Ventilators (ERV), and mini-splits are used to reduce the energy demand on the homes.
Located on 1.2 acres, Grissom Lane Apartments has four duplex cottages with each containing two apartments with two bedrooms.
The apartments were designed using Universal Design features to help facilitate aging in place for its residents and the site was rezoned to “planned residential,” which allows the homes to be more intimately arranged along a short walking loop. This site design creates space for a community garden and central gathering area where residents have the opportunity to create a supportive community.
“Our annual Sustainable Leadership Awards recognize the best initiatives in sustainable housing in Virginia over the past year,” said EarthCraft Virginia Executive Director, K.C. Bleile.
“Now in its sixth year, we feel privileged to honor the dedicated individuals who continue to amaze us with their passion for high performance home building.
This year’s nominees and winners have all gone above and beyond standard building expectations to become the leaders in transforming Virginia’s housing market.”
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