Prairie Pointe Townhomes – Greensburg,
KS
Greensburg,
KS
– Kansas Housing Resources Corporation (KHRC) is pleased to announce the
U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) has awarded Prairie Pointe Townhomes
in Greensburg
the highest honor for green building design and construction.
USGBC’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®
for Homes) Platinum Certification means the affordable housing development
meets the most rigorous criteria in terms of low energy and water
consumption, the use of environmentally preferred materials and being
constructed in a socially responsible way.
Financed in large part
by the federal Housing Tax Credit Program, Prairie Pointe is the first
LEED® Platinum new construction affordable housing development
in Kansas, and the third tax credit
complex in the nation to receive this honor.
“Achieving
LEED® Platinum took extreme diligence on the part of the
Prairie Pointe development team, but the end result is exceptional,”
said Fred Bentley, KHRC’s Rental Housing Division Director. “Not only does
Prairie Pointe help residents stay in
Greensburg, the development also serves
as a showcase for high-performance, energy-efficient, healthy buildings
nationwide.”
Utility costs for each Prairie Pointe townhome average
about 40 percent less each month than apartments of the same size built to
minimum construction standards.
Prairie Pointe developer Jay Manske
of Manske and Associates - Wichita
said, “We’re honored to have helped
Greensburg
in the aftermath of the EF5 tornado and rebuild in an environmentally
friendly manner. It’s also rewarding to know that steps taken during
construction will reduce the environmental footprint of Prairie Pointe for
decades to come.”
Prairie Pointe’s sustainable components include
low-flow shower heads and faucets that reduce water usage on average by 20
percent, two-by-six-inch walls with blown-in cellulose insulation, high
energy-efficient air source heat pumps and ENERGY STAR®
appliances where available.
Adhesives, sealants, paints and carpets
used in the development’s interior are also Low- or No-VOC (Volatile
Organic Compound), which help to reduce off-gassing and create a healthier
living environment. Plus, ENERGY STAR® compact
fluorescent light (CFL) bulbs have been installed in each unit. CFLs use
about 75 percent less energy than standard incandescent bulbs, last up to
10 times longer and save about $30 or more in electricity costs over each
bulb’s lifetime.
The LEED® Green Building Rating System
is the nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction and
operation of high-performance green buildings. LEED® promotes a
whole-building approach to sustainability by recognizing performance in
five key areas of human and environmental health: sustainable site
development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection and
indoor environmental quality. LEED® certification is based on a
scoring system that awards points for meeting particular green building
criteria. LEED® levels are Certified, Silver, Gold and
Platinum. Platinum is the highest ranking a development can
receive.
For more information on LEED® for Homes, visit
USGBC’s website. If you would like
additional information regarding Prairie Pointe Townhomes or would like to
schedule an interview, please contact Catherine Couch at Kansas Housing
Resources Corporation at 785-296-0081, ccouch@kshousingcorp.org.
An independent,
quasi-public entity, Kansas Housing Resources Corporation (KHRC)
administers the federal Housing Tax Credit Program for the State of
Kansas
and offers a variety of other housing programs working to enhance housing
opportunities for low and moderate-income residents. For more information,
visit KHRC’s website at www.kshousingcorp.org.
