Why should affordable housing projects consider green building? Residents living in affordable housing units should have access to the same sustainable amenities as market rate housing. The list of benefits to residents is lengthy, from a better quality of life, cheaper maintenance and operation costs, less frequent medical visits, better return on investment, to a sense of pride. At the same time, green building provides an advantage to the greater community by providing a healthier living environment, adapting to future climate change, longer lasting materials, well-designed units, walkable communities, and utilizing public dollars more effectively.

Easy ways to green affordable housing projects at little or no cost:

• Low VOC paints, sealants, and adhesives
• Low flow toilets and plumbing fixtures
• Insulation with recycled content, both rigid and bats
• Formaldehyde free bats
• Sheet rock with recycled content
• Concrete steel reinforcements with recycled content
• Acoustical Ceiling tiles with recycled content
• Construction Waste recycling (minimum 75%)
• Green Label Certified floor coverings (carpet)
• Carpet with 25% recycled content
• Gypsum board with recycled content
• 20% substitution of Fly Ash in Concrete Mix

Look at these development areas to find ways you can incorporate green building components:

• Material use
• Indoor Air quality
• Site and water protection
• Energy Efficiency

Learn more…

Regional Resources

• King County Affordable Housing Development Programs
• City of Seattle affordable housing green building guiding principles external link
• King County Housing Authority (KCHA)– Greenbridge HOPE VI project
• King County Transit Oriented Development - Overlake Station
• Family Village at Issaquah
  • Family Village at Issaquah project presentationDownload PDF 2.5 MB
  • YWCA Family Village at Issaquah external link
• McDermott Place – Low Income Housing InstituteDownload PDF 272 K Schemata Workshop as Design Architect and Runberg Architecture Group as the Architect of Record
• Housing Development Consortium external link

Technical Resources

• Affordable Housing Technical Assistance Slam
• Affordable Housing Charrettes
• Built Green Checklist for certification external link
• Evergreen Sustainable Development Standards external link
• Universal Design
• • Access Living external link
  • Institute for Human Centered Design external link

Case studies:

• Senior City, Federal Way, WADownload PDF 87 K
• Seattle Housing Authority High Point – West Seattle external link
• Greenbridge Hybrid DeconstructionDownload PDF external link