VHFA has just published our Green Building and Design Standards for housing developers.
The standards, which were approved by VHFA's Board of Commissioners on April 7, encourage developers who apply for VHFA financing and Housing Credits to embrace green practices, materials and design in the planning and construction of their buildings.
When looking at "life-cycle" costing (both operating expenses and development costs), green building saves money and energy and reduces the impact on natural resources, while creating healthy, comfortable living environments for tenants.
VHFA's standards, which incorporate Efficiency Vermont's energy standards, emphasize energy efficiency, good indoor air quality, and other features such as native vegetation that reduce the negative environmental impact of development.
The new standards will be implemented on a voluntary basis through October 2009, and are considered in addition to our existing design standards.
The new standards are the result of more than two years' work among VHFA staff, other state housing finance agencies, and local developers and architects. They reflect many common practices in affordable housing development in Vermont, as well as concepts that are new to the Green Mountain State.
We hope affordable housing developers will continue to strive to provide healthy, safe and affordable homes to Vermonters, and that these new standards help.