Pine View Circle- LEED v4 Silver Certified Affordable Housing
Project Background
The ongoing need for affordable housing doesn’t just apply to cities; rural areas also need more affordable housing options. Ithaca Neighborhood Housing Services (INHS) recognized this need in the greater Finger Lakes Region and looked beyond Ithaca for their newest development. Pine View Circle is the first phase of a multi-phase development and consists of 11 residential buildings, a community building, a playground and a community garden.
The site is located between Rochester, Syracuse and Ithaca, in an area that has seen growth in recent years partially due to the development of the del Lago Resort & Casino nearby. Due to the site’s rural location on an undeveloped property, earning LEED points for location and transportation was virtually impossible.
Project Services
Steven Winter Associates provided green building certification services to the project.
Primary Green Building Features
- Exterior walls incorporate fiberglass batts and insulated sheathing.
- Attics are insulated with blown-in cellulose, and slabs are fully insulated per code.
- All windows, doors, equipment, appliances and light bulbs are ENERGY STAR labeled.
- Reduced infiltration and duct leakage helped push HERS indexes below 60. Infiltration was limited to 0.23 CFM50per square foot of enclosure area, and all ducts were kept within the conditioned envelope of the building withlimited leakage.
- An efficient home isn’t necessarily a healthy home, so the team also pursued Indoor airPLUS certification to makesure tenants enjoy high indoor air quality as well as low living expenses for years to come.