Presenters:

Melissa Peterson, Program Officer, Enterprise Community Partners

Ben Gates, Housing Developer, Central City Concern

Financial constraints and renewed attention on conservation and carbon reductions within the built environment have shifted development from new to existing buildings.  Owners and managers of affordable housing need help evaluating efficiencies and systems improvements in their rehabilitation projects. This session includes presentations on the efforts of Central City Concern (Portland, OR) and Bellingham Housing Authority (Bellingham, WA) in pursuing green rehabilitation in their multi-family portfolios. CCC has created a road map to achieve net-zero energy and water over the next 20 years. CCC is in the process of reducing energy and water related operating expenses by over 20% by the close of this year that would amount to over $200,000 in utility savings annually. Bellingham Housing Authority has committed to substantially improving the energy and water efficiency and indoor air quality of several buildings within their portfolio. Each agency will highlight their vision, approach, and successes. Enterprise Community Partners, a funding partner for both of these housing development groups, will present available financial and technical resources to assist affordable housing owners and design consultants strategically approaching sustainable design in rehabilitation efforts.

Participants will be invited to offer solutions to the challenges and opportunities presented by Central City Concern and Bellingham Housing Authority.


Session Format:  LECTURE.

Presenter Bios

Melissa Peterson

Melissa Peterson manages partner relationships and programming for Enterprise Community Partners, a national intermediary in the affordable housing industry. She works in the Pacific Northwest market from Enterprise's Portland and Seattle offices. She has a background in environmental science and urban planning, with expertise in green affordable housing design, development, and rehabilitation. She is a LEED Accredited Professional and serves on the Cascadia Green Building Council’s Board of Directors.

Ben Gates

Ben Gates is a housing developer at Central City Concern, a nonprofit agency serving those impacted by homelessness, poverty, and addictions in Portland. In 2005, the Rose Architectural Fellowship gave Ben the opportunity to transition from a traditional architecture practice to public-interest design and development. In addition to leading affordable housing development projects, Ben has spearheaded Central City Concern’s sustainability initiatives including the published "Achieving Water Independence in Buildings” project and “Portfolio-wide Building Efficiency Project.”