Apr 8 2010
Jack Satter House, a supportive housing community for 300 low-income seniors in Revere, Mass., has received a $4 million grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) as part of its new Green Retrofit Program for Multifamily Housing.
The grant, which is the first of its kind in New England, will fund infrastructure upgrades and other retrofits to reduce utility costs by approximately 25 percent, cut water consumption, and improve indoor air quality. Jack Satter House is sponsored by Boston-based nonprofit Hebrew SeniorLife, a leader in geriatric health care, research, teaching and housing, and an affiliate of Harvard Medical School.
“Not only will this grant result in significant energy efficiency improvements and cost savings at Jack Satter House, it will serve as a model for how other organizations can incorporate sustainable, green building elements to create environmentally friendly communities,” said Len Fishman, CEO of Hebrew SeniorLife.
Hebrew SeniorLife will begin the one-year improvement project in April 2010 and estimates the creation of 60 construction-related jobs.
Plans call for a wide range of retrofits, including installation of EnergyStar-rated refrigerators and air conditioners, replacement of old boilers with new high-efficiency condensing boilers, installation of a combined heat and power electric co-generation plant, upgraded energy efficient lighting, low-flow aerators, shower heads and toilets, and the use of non-toxic paints, adhesives and sealants throughout. The renovation will enhance the quality of life for residents, increase energy efficiency, and generate approximately $180,000 in annual utility savings.
"These important funds will allow Jack Satter House to reduce utility costs, cut water consumption, and improve indoor air quality, all while enhancing the lives of the seniors who reside here right on the shores of Revere Beach," said Congressman Edward J. Markey. "I am very pleased that these Recovery Act funds will help energy efficiency and other clean energy projects cross the finish line, ensuring that Massachusetts will remain at the forefront of the clean energy revolution, as we work to grow our economy and shrink our energy bills."
Hebrew SeniorLife was awarded grant funding through a highly competitive process from a pool of 769 applicants. HUD officials reviewed a variety of project criteria, including financial feasibility and the building’s physical condition, before allocating the $250 million in available Green Retrofit Program funds nationwide.
“This funding will not only improve the quality of life for the residents of Jack Satter House, but will lower energy costs and create quality green jobs at the same time,” said HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan. “This is an example of the kind of long-term, fundamental impact the Recovery Act is having on America’s economy through clean energy investments.”
The Jack Satter House project follows the recent opening of NewBridge on the Charles in Dedham, Mass., Hebrew SeniorLife’s newest continuing care retirement community (CCRC) and the most environmentally sensitive CCRC in the country. At NewBridge, Hebrew SeniorLife implemented several concepts of sustainable design, including a geothermal well system that reduces the campus’s heating-related CO2 emissions by 34 percent, a 170,000 gallon water harvesting system, and 100 acres of preserved land.
Source: http://www.hebrewseniorlife.org/