Greening Dorchester

Our "Green" Porfolio

DBEDC is in the process of greening our own portfolio of 800 apartments. We are participating in LEAN, which funds low income multi family energy retrofits. Thanks to LEAN, we have weatherized 31 apartments and plan to have our entire portfolio weatherized by the end of 2012. We are tracking energy and water consumption of our apartments, and comparing consumption pre and post retrofit.

We are actively involved in negotiating solar thermal funding for 35 apartments. With National Grid, we are planning Deep Energy Retrofits of two of our foreclosure rehab projects. Our recently completed Dudley Village has a PV array. Our pipeline developments are to meet LEED silver standards at a minimum.


DBEDC has just adopted a custom Green and Health Property Management Guide in order to reduce asthma rates and improve overall well being of our tenants. We are taking steps to introduce a smoke-free policy in our dwellings, beginning with a smoke-free new development to be completed in 2011. For information involving greening our portfolio, contact Kate DeWolf at ex 215, or agibbons@dbedc.org

If you are interested in signing up online please visit

http://nextsteplivinginc.com/bdedc

 

DBEDC has three broad green initiatives:


1) We are helping area homeowners, tenants, and business owners access community resources and funds to reduce their energy bills and lower their carbon footprint.


2) We are greening our own residential portfolio.


3) We are seeking green businesses to occupy commercial/office/manufacturing space we have available as well as make business loans to Dorchester green businesses.

Our Green Team, led by Don Walsh (our Board treasurer and former Nstar executive), is a synergistic approach comprised of staff members from our community organizing, economic development, grant writing, and real estate development departments. Our Green Team includes Max MacCarthy, our full time Americorps member focusing on green community organizing, and Kate DeWolf, who is AIA, LEED AP, Certified Energy Manger, and a Deep Energy Retrofit Design Consultant with National Grid.

DBEDC is a member of the US Green Building Council