River City Housing Celebrates Ribbon-Cutting for "The Jenny” - Louisville's first affordable, Zero Energy Ready, Passive House
Louisville, KY (November 4, 2024) – River City Housing (RCH), a nonprofit dedicated to providing high-quality and energy-efficient affordable housing, hosted the ribbon-cutting ceremony for "The Jenny," Louisville’s first affordable, Zero Energy Ready, Passive House at 10:30 a.m. on Monday, November 4, 2024, at 4906 Mary Rose Drive. This landmark project represents a significant leap forward in the development of sustainable, energy-efficient housing in the local community.
"The Jenny" is named in memory of RCH’s former construction manager Jenny Jones Miller, who led the research and initial planning for this innovative home. Her vision and expertise have driven this project, ensuring it meets the highest standards of energy efficiency while remaining affordable. The house serves as a model for future developments in Louisville and beyond, showcasing the cutting edge of eco-friendly home design.
As Louisville's first affordable, Zero Energy Ready, Passive House, "The Jenny" is designed to drastically reduce energy use and minimize the home's carbon footprint. It incorporates solar panels installed by Solarize Louisville-vetted installation company, Icon Solar Power, which provide additional savings for homeowners by reducing monthly utility costs. With a long-term focus on affordability, the home offers lower energy bills and increases financial stability for working families.
“We are extremely proud of ‘The Jenny,’ which exemplifies our commitment to creating homes that are not only affordable at the closing table, but affordable long-term. Energy efficiency is crucial in affordable housing because it helps reduce the ongoing cost burden for homeowners, allowing families to thrive and save over the long term. This project is a testament to our vision for a sustainable and equitable future in Louisville." says Becky Roehrig, president of RCH.
The Mayor’s Office of Sustainability (OS) attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate this milestone in sustainability and affordable housing. Mayor Greenberg has emphasized increasing safe, quality, and affordable housing as a key priority for Louisville Metro Government.
”We commend the RCH team and their funding and development partners for their commitment to creating truly quality and affordable housing by prioritizing sustainability”, said Sumedha Rao, Executive Director of the Mayor’s Office of Sustainability and RCH Board Member. “Sustainable homes reduce utility costs for residents, create healthier indoor environments, enhance disaster resiliency, decrease environmental pollution, and support green jobs. We look forward to learning from ‘The Jenny’ to mainstream affordable, zero energy ready, passive houses for everyone in Louisville!”
The Jenny was funded in part with funds from the
· U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) HOME Investment Partnerships Program through the Louisville Metro Government Office of Housing and Community Development
· Louisville Affordable Housing Trust Fund
· Kentucky Office of Energy Policy
· All Points North Foundation
· LISC Louisville
· Kentucky Housing Corporation
· PNC Foundation
The Jenny was designed and developed in partnership with:
· Ubergreen Spaces and Homes and Clive Pohl of PRPArchitects
· Solarize Louisville
· Jason Webb, Community & Technical Assistance Principal-Grounded Solutions Network
About River City Housing
River City Housing is a nonprofit organization dedicated to developing affordable housing that is sustainable, energy-efficient, and accessible to all. By embracing innovation and fostering community partnerships, River City Housing is addressing the growing need for affordable housing while championing environmental sustainability. For more information, please contact River City Housing at 502-587-6763 or info@rivercityhousing.org.
About the Mayor’s Office of Sustainability
The Mayor’s Office of Sustainability builds effective partnerships with residents, businesses, community organizations, institutions, and other Metro agencies to equitably set and achieve Louisville’s sustainability goals through impactful strategies, policies, and programs. Louisville’s sustainability goals include addressing climate change by achieving 100% clean energy and net zero greenhouse gas emissions community-wide by 2040; shifting culture towards more sustainability-focused attitudes, behaviors, and lifestyles; improving health and quality of life for all residents; and embedding environmental justice into all efforts. The Mayor’s Office of Sustainability administers the Solarize Louisville program, which has to date, helped more than 220 property owners go solar through city-vetted installers and discounted rates. To learn more, visit www.louisvilleky.gov/sustainability.
About Ubergreen Spaces and Homes
Ubergreen Spaces and Homes is focused on high-performance, zero-energy, healthy, and resilient commercial and residential spaces, and helping clients and the teams we work with achieve their high-performance goals. For over 15 years, Uberspace Spaces and Homes have been collaborating with clients and architects in Kentucky, Ohio, Indiana, and Texas. They service clients with industry best practices in building science methods, a breadth of knowledge in third-party green programs, and modern project management tools.
THANK YOU TO OUR PARTNERS FOR YOUR SUPPORT
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