A lovely sunset brings out the aesthetic and environmentally-friendly beauty of our solar panels at New Harmony Mutual Housing in Davis. Photo by Sun Light and Power.
Mutual Housing’s team has spent the last several years infusing green principles into every element of our work. This commitment to maximizing our positive impact on the environment has bridged the two vital parts of our mission, linking housing development with leadership development.
Green Construction and Renovation
Ever since our first solar roof project at Victory Townhomes in 2002, our board and management have steadily increased their commitment to green construction and renovation. Thanks to the diligence and skill of our housing development staff, we are now on the very cutting edge of green affordable housing work.
Thanks to the high level of green work at our newest community, Mutual Housing at the Highlands, Mutual Housing California is now a GreenPoint Rated member of Build it Green. We are also a member of the U.S. Green Building Council, the creator of the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED™) Green Building Rating System™.
Mutual Housing provides free capacity building training in green building for staff and board members, and utilizes LEED™-certified consultants to advise our housing development teams on green construction methods, building components, and design.
We build all of our new housing to exceed by at least 15% the standards set forth in California’s Title 24 Energy Efficiency Standards for Residential Buildings.
Click here to read more about the history of our innovative green construction and renovation efforts, as well as our future plans.
Building Green Leaders
In 2011 Mutual Housing began its Green Leaders Program to educate residents about the full range of green elements included in our construction and rehab projects to benefit their communities. The program also recruits and trains groups of leaders at our mutual housing communities to plan and execute various types of green education projects.
Click here for more details about the pilot phase Green Leaders Program, as well as our plans for expansion this year.