HUD Grants to Require LEED for Neighborhood Development
August 10th, 2010
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Design has reaffirmed its commitment to smart growth, location efficiency, and sustainable communities. The newly released LEED for Neighborhood Development (LEED-ND) will be used to score the location efficiency of HUD grant applications, HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan announced in June.
LEED-ND, which launched in April 2010 as the benchmark for healthy green communities, integrates green building into community development, with the goal of reducing sprawl, increasing transportation choices, decreasing automobile dependence, and encouraging healthy living. The housing agency will apply this criterion to submissions in its upcoming Sustainable Communities Planning Grants and other programs, totaling $3.25 billion in available grant funds.
Promoting and designing development that is environmentally responsible, profitable and healthy is a continuing mission of BartonPartners. Our community plans are always informed and guided by the same principles used by the U.S. Green Building Counsel in codifying their LEED-ND rating system and espoused by the Urban Land Institute. The imperative for sustainable communities is made even more urgent in this economy, as housing and transportation are the two biggest expenses for families, constituting more than 50% of the average American household budget.
Whether seeking LEED certification or not, our planning and architectural design staff, including LEED® Accredited Professionals and NAHB Certified Green Professionals, will lead and coordinate all of the project team members in creating sustainable neighborhood developments.
LEED-ND, which launched in April 2010 as the benchmark for healthy green communities, integrates green building into community development, with the goal of reducing sprawl, increasing transportation choices, decreasing automobile dependence, and encouraging healthy living. The housing agency will apply this criterion to submissions in its upcoming Sustainable Communities Planning Grants and other programs, totaling $3.25 billion in available grant funds.
Promoting and designing development that is environmentally responsible, profitable and healthy is a continuing mission of BartonPartners. Our community plans are always informed and guided by the same principles used by the U.S. Green Building Counsel in codifying their LEED-ND rating system and espoused by the Urban Land Institute. The imperative for sustainable communities is made even more urgent in this economy, as housing and transportation are the two biggest expenses for families, constituting more than 50% of the average American household budget.
Whether seeking LEED certification or not, our planning and architectural design staff, including LEED® Accredited Professionals and NAHB Certified Green Professionals, will lead and coordinate all of the project team members in creating sustainable neighborhood developments.