Florida Housing Launches Green Building Website

TALLAHASSEE, FL - January 12, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) — Florida Housing Finance Corporation (Florida Housing) recently launched a new Web site aimed at encouraging green building practices in affordable housing across the state of Florida. The site, www.floridahousing.org/GreenBuilding, is another example of Florida Housing’s recent push to “Go Green.”

Nancy Muller, policy director with Florida Housing, says the Web site provides a valuable tool for developers and others interested in learning more about the importance of green building in the State.

“Florida Housing’s green building site was created to provide our builder partners with information to help them get started,” Muller said. “The site provides an overview of what ‘green’ means, what green certification is all about and what resources are out there to assist them in getting the job done.”

Florida Housing has been actively involved in green building for some time now, introducing green building requirements into several of its programs. The Universal Application Cycle (UAC), Homeownership Pool (HOP) program and the Community Workforce Housing Innovation Pilot (CWHIP) program all have implemented either an incentive or policy requiring that various green aspects be incorporated into a new development or constructed units in order to received funding through Florida Housing.

Muller says the need for these building techniques is great, especially when you consider that buildings in the United States (including housing) account for 68 percent of electricity consumption, 39 percent of energy use, 38 percent of carbon dioxide emissions, 40 percent of raw material use, and 12 percent of potable water consumption (Environmental Protection Agency).

In today’s environment of rising energy costs, it is critical for affordable homes and apartments to be energy efficient and green,” she said. “Not only does green building mean lower utility bills for homeowners, [but also] it means reduced operating expenses for apartment complex owners, which is important when rents are kept down to serve Florida’s lower income renters.”

Florida Housing’s efforts mirror those of the Governor’s Energy Office. In June 2008, Governor Crist signed House Bill 7135, the 2008 Energy and Economic Development Legislation, which seeks to reduce pollution and increase energy efficiency.

Florida Housing encourages all of those interested in learning more about green building to visit www.floridahousing.org/greenbuilding.

Florida Housing was created by the Florida Legislature more than 25 years ago to help our fellow Floridians obtain safe, decent affordable housing that might otherwise be unavailable to them. Florida Housing is the state’s affordable housing agency that administers the state’s homeownership and rental housing programs. For more information, go to www.floridahousing.org.

Contact:
Cecka Rose Green (850) 488-4197

Tagged as: CWHIP, Florida Housing, Green Building, HOP, Program, UAC

 

 

 

 

USGBC - U.S. Green Building Council

HUD - U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development

NAR - National Association of REALTOR

RealtyTrac

FHFA - Federal Housing Finance Agency

Freddie Mac

MBA - Mortgage Bankers Association