As part of its effort to provide safe and affordable public housing to area seniors, the Atlanta Housing Authority (AHA) Board of Commissioners has selected Johnson Controls to begin energy-efficiency upgrades to nearly 2,000 units across 13 senior residential care facilities.
This is a component of an energy-savings program to improve the housing authority’s energy usage, reduce operational costs, minimize its environmental impact, and improve the comfort of its residents. The program is expected to save AHA nearly $18 million over the next 20 years, and will be paid for by energy savings so that no upfront costs will be paid by the housing authority.
More than 80 percent of the labor required for the execution of this project will come from local contractors and suppliers, including minority business enterprises. Additionally, employment opportunities for AHA residents will be created during construction, under the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Section 3 program.
The contract calls for several areas of focus: the installation of new heating, ventilation and air conditioning equipment to improve heating and overall building efficiencies; weatherization to reduce heat loss while lowering energy costs; and water conservation and bathroom-fixture upgrades, designed to enhance user experience and minimize overall water consumption. In addition, Johnson Controls will provide energy conservation training for staff and residents.
The program is funded through an energy performance contract with Johnson Controls, which will help the housing authority significantly reduce their utility costs and carbon footprint without increasing operating budgets. The cost savings generated will repay the project capital investment over the term of the contract. BD+C
Related Stories
Contractors | Aug 14, 2023
Fast-tracking construction projects offers both risk and reward
Understanding both the rewards and risk of fast-tracking a project can help owners, architects, engineers, and contractors maximize the benefits of this strategy and can bring great reward on all fronts when managed properly.
MFPRO+ New Projects | Aug 10, 2023
Atlanta’s Old Fourth Ward gets a 21-story, 162-unit multifamily residential building
East of downtown Atlanta, a new residential building called Signal House will provide the city with 162 units ranging from one to three bedrooms. Located on the Atlanta BeltLine, a former railway corridor, the 21-story building is part of the latest phase of Ponce City Market, a onetime Sears building and now a mixed-use complex.
Office Buildings | Aug 10, 2023
Bjarke Ingels Group and Skanska to deliver 1550 on the Green, one of the most sustainable buildings in Texas
In downtown Houston, Skanska USA’s 1550 on the Green, a 28-story, 375,000-sf office tower, aims to be one of Texas’ most sustainable buildings. The $225 million project has deployed various sustainable building materials, such as less carbon-intensive cement, to target 60% reduced embodied carbon.
Healthcare Facilities | Aug 10, 2023
The present and future of crisis mental health design
BWBR principal Melanie Baumhover sat down with the firm’s behavioral and mental health designers to talk about how intentional design can play a role in combatting the crisis.
Architects | Aug 10, 2023
Hoffmann Architects + Engineers awards first Diversity Advancement Scholarship to Reeja Shrestha of Howard University
Now in its inaugural year, the Hoffmann Scholarship was established in collaboration with the Connecticut Architecture Foundation (CAF) to support students from underrepresented racial or ethnic groups who are seeking degrees in architecture or engineering.
Senior Living Design | Aug 7, 2023
Putting 9 senior living market trends into perspective
Brad Perkins, FAIA, a veteran of more than four decades in the planning and design of senior living communities, looks at where the market is heading in the immediate future.
Higher Education | Aug 7, 2023
Building a better academic workplace
Gensler's David Craig and Melany Park show how agile, efficient workplaces bring university faculty and staff closer together while supporting individual needs.
University Buildings | Aug 7, 2023
Eight-story Vancouver Community College building dedicated to clean energy, electric vehicle education
The Centre for Clean Energy and Automotive Innovation, to be designed by Stantec, will house classrooms, labs, a library and learning center, an Indigenous gathering space, administrative offices, and multiple collaborative learning spaces.
Green | Aug 7, 2023
Rooftop photovoltaic panels credited with propelling solar energy output to record high
Solar provided a record-high 7.3% of U.S. electrical generation in May, “driven in large part by growth in ‘estimated’ small-scale (e.g., rooftop) solar PV whose output increased by 25.6% and accounted for nearly a third (31.9%) of total solar production,” according to a report by the U.S. Energy Information Administration.
Resiliency | Aug 7, 2023
Creative ways cities are seeking to beat urban heat gain
As temperatures in many areas hit record highs this summer, cities around the world are turning to creative solutions to cope with the heat. Here are several creative ways cities are seeking to beat urban heat gain.
