Research & Evaluation

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Research & Evaluation

Enterprise’s comprehensive research and evaluation efforts seek to demonstrate the health, economic and environmental benefits of affordable housing developed and preserved to the Enterprise Green Communities Criteria. Through this effort, we aim to prove that green homes are more affordable and healthier as a result of lower energy and water consumption and healthier living environments, thus enhancing the quality of life of residents.

	Incremental Cost, Measurable Savings: Enterprise Green Communities by Dana Bourland This is the first-of-its-kind study showing the cost effectiveness of meeting the Enterprise Green Communities Criteria. As a result of this study, we found that meeting the Enterprise Green Communities Criteria, on average costs $4.52 per square foot, about a 2% investment in upfront development costs — while providing significant long-term operating cost savings. Energy and water conservation measures not only pay for themselves ($1,900) but also produce another $2,900 in projected lifetime savings per dwelling unit.
	Creating Green and Healthy Affordable Homes for Families at Viking Terrace, Worthington, Minn. by the National Center for Healthy Housing Released in 2010, this National Center for Healthy Housing study is one of the nation’s first demonstrations of how rehabilitating low-income housing using green and healthy principles positively affects the health of residents.
	Sharing the Benefits of Building Green: A Study of the High Point Community This study examines the High Point development in Seattle as a model of sustainable community development.
	Sustainable, Affordable, Doable: Demystifying the Process of Green Affordable Housing (2008) by Tony Proscio This report collects firsthand experiences and lessons from participants in eight (8) Green Communities developments.
	The Success of Charrettes This report highlights the effective implementation of integrative design within the affordable housing sector.
	Utility Allowance Options for Investments in Energy Efficiency: Resource Guide Yianice Hernandez, Julieann Summerford This resource increases awareness about adopting, establishing, and offering utility allowance options supportive of energy-efficiency investments in new construction and rehabilitation
	Greener Housing = Improved Health: A Winning CombinationDesign and Specifications by Noreen Beatley This paper provides background on the relationship between housing and health and, using case studies developed by the National Center for Healthy Housing (NCHH), illustrates how building affordable green housing provides health benefits to its low-income residents.
	The Residential Energy and Water Data Collaborative: Establishing Threshold Data Points to Track Building Performance Enterprise, in partnership with the Local Initiatives Support Corporation, NeighborWorks America, Stewards of Affordable Housing for the Future, Housing Partnership Network, Energy Scorecards and WegoWise formed the Residential Energy and Water Data Collaborative (REWDC). This effort aimed to establish a national data collection standard, described in detail within this white paper, to define minimum data collection for the affordable housing industry as a means of advancing performance tracking in support of green building and retrofit practices.

We are Enterprise. Our family includes Enterprise Community Partners, Inc, a national Section 501(c)(3) charitable organization that provides expertise for affordable housing and sustainable communities. Financing for affordable housing is offered through our tax-exempt subsidiary, Enterprise Community Loan Fund, Inc., and our for-profit subsidiary, Enterprise Community Investment, Inc. Housing development is offered through Enterprise Community Investment's subsidiary, Enterprise Homes, Inc. The content on this website reflects information about all of these entities.