By Emma Crawford
Have you ever thought it would be nice to live in a "green" apartment in Boston? Well now you can. Recently, a local organization focused on sustainable community development inititated the renovation of 82 different units of family and affordable housing in Jamaica Plain and Roxbury.
The project was put into motion by Urban Edge, a community development corporation who specializes in sustainable and diverse communities. Urban Edge is known for its strong work in the past, helping to get LEED certification and remodel a number of affordable apartments in Boston. Just six months ago, they completed a green remodel of over 100 rental apartments in the Dorchester and Jamaica Plain areas.
Their most recent project is another step along the path of the Urban Edge “integrated green” development initiative that provides low cost, environmentally sound housing which has gained lots of traction since their first project launched in 2006, which incorporated renewable energy into Egleston Crossing, a mixed-use building.
The focus of their most recent project will be an upgrade in structure and building systems, combined with alterations to meet LEED rating systems. Urban Edge will use benchmarking analysis and energy audits in an effort to help the community to meet their long term sustainability goals.
In early stages of the energy audits, Urban Edge (UE) found that the buildings were currently using anywhere from 10 to 60 percent more gas than similar-sized buildings. They also discovered that the buildings were using twice as much water.
Some goals include a 25 percent decrease in gas consumption by replacing boilers with efficiency water heating systems. Eight of the buildings will also receive new roofing systems, and the apartments will don Energy Star appliances and fixtures.
Residents will also enjoy the benefit of new bathrooms, laundry resources, insulation and remodeled kitchen areas -- while remaining affordable.




