NWBRV incorporates green, sustainable building techniques into projects whenever possible and has received a “Green Designation” from NeighborWorks America, which identifies exemplary organizations for their integration of best practices in “green” and “sustainable” design, construction, and organizational operations.
Building Green = Sustainable Homeownership
In addition to LED lighting, our home ownership project at 369 Mowry Street in Woonsocket was also rehabbed to include Energy Star® appliances and a high efficiency heating system. At 552 Front Street in Woonsocket, NWBRV also included energy efficient appliances and heating, as well as installed solar panels on the roof. Energy savings help lower costs for the homeowner even further at these affordable home ownership sites.
Geothermal savings
The Stillwater Mill project in Burrillville, now called Clocktower Apartments, has a geothermal mechanical (heat and AC) system, much like the Meadows senior development in North Smithfield. Energy cost savings are passed along to tenants, helping keep these rentals affordable.
Energy audits for our oldest apartments
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act awarded more than a half million dollars to renovate NWBRV’s two oldest low-income multifamily apartments in the Constitution Hill neighborhood of Woonsocket. Consultants have already conducted energy audits and we’re planning the needed work.
Water savings in 152 apartments
Students at the Woonsocket Area Career and Technical Center installed water- conserving aerators and fixtures in all 152 NWBRV-owned Woonsocket apartments. The aerators and fixtures were supplied by the Woonsocket Water Department with an estimated reduction of 20-25% total water usage throughout the properties.
LED lighting efficiency test
We’re testing the efficiency and energy cost savings of LED lighting in two locations. We installed four-foot LED tubes at our Real Estate office suite and standard screw-based LED lights at our homeownership project on Mowry Street in Woonsocket and in the NWBRV Real Estate Development Department offices on Front Street, also in Woonsocket . Both will be measured for energy consumption over time to test true cost savings of LED lighting versus their slightly higher investment costs.
Conserving land
NWBRV preserves natural resources as an important “Smart Growth” strategy. Woodridge Estates in Woonsocket provides 26 homeownership opportunities with large yards surrounding each but the development only utilizes one of the 13 acres of land. Similarly, the 38 town-house style rental units at Marshfield Commons were built on 6.3 acres of land near the Village of Slatersville, with 74% of the property preserved as open space.
Victory Gardens helped prevent food shortages during WWII and are now being used to fight food insecurity in urban food desserts like Woonsocket’s Constitution Hill neighborhood.
Growing fresh food in unexpected places
NWBRV understands the importance of green space and access to fresh fruits and vegetables. In the Constitution Hill neighborhood of Woonsocket, we planted nine fruit trees. Most are located in the Community Orchard on the corner of Center and Olo Streets. This space also houses a community garden that grows tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, blueberries, etc. The Meadows Senior Development in North Smithfield also features a community garden with plots for seniors to fill their own garden plots with favorites like tomatoes and kale.