Transcript:
In Boston, a new affordable apartment building is suitable for seniors, suggesting that building climate-friendly homes does not require bankruptcy banks.
Kenzi at Bartlett Station is a 50-unit complex designed to maximize energy efficiency, said Beverly Craig of the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center.
Craig: “So, this is designed for passive housing standards, which is basically the most effective green building standard you can reach in the world.”
Kenzi is well-insulated and has an advanced ventilation system that maximizes airflow. It is powered by an all-electric system, including a heat pump for heating and cooling.
This sounds like an expensive way to build.
Craig: “The perception is that it is really expensive to build that build.”
As a result, Craig’s team awarded grants to Kenzi and seven other affordable housing projects to help them establish passive housing standards and track costs.
They found that on average, the cost of building them was only about 2.5% higher than building similar projects with lower standards. Kenzi costs only 1% more.
And operating buildings may be cheaper because they use much less energy.
So, she said, creating climate-friendly housing is also affordable.
Report Credit: Sarah Kennedy/Chavobart Digital Media
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