Green Communities Certification, awarded by Enterprise Green Communities (EGC), promotes resident health,reduces operating costsand decreases environmental impacts on the community.

NEW ORLEANS, LA / ACCESSWIRE / August 9, 2019 / Sacred Heart, a near century old church converted into an affordable housing development, adds Green Communities Certification to its list of noteworthy achievements. SK Collaborative was hired as a sustainability consultant to certify the exemplary 53-unit project that houses low and moderate income families in New Orleans and is managed by Columbia Residential.

"SK Collaborative has been an essential part of the work that Columbia Residential does,' said Christina Davis, senior project manager at Columbia Residential. 'Not only do they help us navigate through all the different green building certification programs and incentives, but they're with us through every step of the process. Particularly in design, they sit down with the team and help identify the best strategies for high performance but cost-effective practices on every project- from renovation to new construction."

Columbia Residential chose to certify the community under Enterprise Green Communities (EGC), one of the strictest green rating systems in the country. This certification's stringent standards include requirements under Energy Efficiency, Operations, Maintenance, and Resident Engagement, Materials, Healthy Living Environment, Site Improvements, Water Conservation, Integration in Design, plus Location and Neighborhood Fabric.

Figure 1. The adaptive reuse of the project allowed for unique architectural elements that gave each unit a historical, yet modern feel

In pursuing green building certification, SK Collaborative followed the certification framework of EGC to ensure Sacred Heart would successfully achieve compliance. This included helping JHP Architects choose sustainable building materials, as well as specifying HVAC systems that provide excellent energy efficiency and indoor air quality.

"It's always rewarding when a team comes together to create a sustainable and healthy development that will provide much needed affordable homes to an entire community,' said Abe Kruger, principal at SK Collaborative. 'Implementing sustainable building practices for any building is not only the responsible thing to do, but it makes good business sense. A green building should not only cost less through lower utility bills but should last a long time."

Once the design was finalized, the team at SK Collaborative ensured the as-built project would perform per its intended design by conducting system testing and documenting all phases of construction. As a result, Sacred Heart earned its Green Communities certification and is now one of the largest historical residential housing buildings in New Orleans.

About SK Collaborative

SK Collaborative applies proven green building techniques to real-life situations. We work with developers, builders, remodelers, contractors, and architects to identify cost-effective techniques that can help earn financial incentives through tax credits, utility rebates and financing discount programs. Our services range from consulting, design reviews and charrettes to waterproofing inspections, testing, training, and building certification under LEED, EarthCraft, National Green Building Standard, ENERGY STAR, Enterprise Green Communities, FitWel, and Green Globes. SK Collaborative is your one stop resource in Making Buildings Better.

About Enterprise:

As a proven and powerful nonprofit, Enterprise brings together nationwide know-how, partners, policy leadership and investment to multiply the impact of local affordable housing development. Enterprise is the only housing organization in the US with the expertise to multiply the impact for people and communities. They deliver the capital, develop the programs, and advocate for the policies needed to create and preserve well-designed homes that people can afford in inclusive and connected communities. Enterprise is driven by the mission of creating opportunity for low- and moderate-income people through affordable housing in diverse, thriving communities.

SOURCE: SK Collaborative