Sustainable Future

Beyond encouraging the development and rehabilitation of green buildings, GreenHOME aims to make the Washington, D.C. region a sustainable place to live and a practical and inspirational model for the nation. By educating and inspiring policymakers and the development community to make a commitment to green neighborhoods and sustainable cities, green affordable housing can demonstrate green approaches that are not only economical and doable but that also engage the broadest support for transforming our communities.

Forward thinking

With the help of Seattle-based experts Mithun Architects and Planners, GreenHOME has created an in-depth presentation that introduces the concepts behind sustainable neighborhood development. Then, together with the Center for American Progress, GreenHOME recently hosted 160 key decision makers in a "conversation" with leading green developers and advocates on how Washington, D.C.'s Green Building Act opens the door to opportunities for green neighborhoods, and how a sustainable city framework could set the stage for development in Washington, D.C. and the National Capital Region.

GreenHOME's partnership with Enterprise Community Partners to establish the D.C. Green Communities Initiative also offers a context for development that goes beyond affordable green housing to engage and inspire the region--particularly leadership in the business, politics, advocacy, and philanthropy communities--to see future development through a lens of sustainability. A presentation to the Washington Grantmakers working group on sustainability was an important step in this effort.

Sustainability Action Plan

GreenHOME has been working closely with the Center for American Progress (CAP) and D.C.'s Office of Planning and Department of the Environment to help the District of Columbia undertake a comprehensive environmental agenda. A carbon footprint analysis (produced by ICLEI) will support planning and implementation of carbon emission reduction efforts in the city. It will also serve as the first component of a broader set of metrics that will lay the foundation for integrated planning. The goal is to improve planning and its impact on everything from air quality and energy investments to stormwater runoff and health.

To further support this effort, GreenHOME, Enterprise, and CAP co-sponsored an October 2007 conversation with Chris Garvin, a leader of Terrapin Bright Green and a key player in the creation of PlaNYC, New York City's far-ranging GreeNYC initiative. Chris spoke about the process of creating a bold green city action plan and facilitated an important conversation with 60 key stakeholders about the kind of process we can follow here in D.C.

Green economy

Building green will generate new jobs in performance commissioning, energy analysis, and materials recycling. A commitment to green neighborhoods and sustainable cities will give rise to whole new economic development and new businesses and has the potential to create "green collar" jobs in clean technology, alternative energy, and improved construction practices. Enterprise Community Partners, the Center for American Progress and GreenHOME have kick-started this process with a stakeholder meeting to generate ideas on how to create new jobs with the Green Building Act. A successful October 2007 hearing on the subject by D.C. Councilman and economic development committee chair Kwame Brown followed with testimony provided by over 45 professionals and community advocates.