Oxbow Partners has developed an affordable housing project of 16 units in Wayland, MA and sought to achieve zero energy performance with the help of state subsidies. Oxbow Partners approached ZeroEnergy Design (ZED) to audit its project for energy efficiency and to recommend strategies for the lowest utility costs with the current design and financing constraints.

ZED performed energy modeling and devised a series of recommendations to improve the performance of the buildings. With this data, the firm led a design charrette with the architect of record (Prellwitz Chilinski Associates) that allowed key stakeholders, including designers, lenders, and sub-contractors to discuss the implications of each recommendation and determine which recommendations best met the project goals.

ZED developed a successful grant spending strategy that resulted in a $250,000 award to Oxbow Partners from the Comm. of Massachusetts Dept. of Housing and Community Development's Green Affordable Homeownership Initiative. The strategy, backed by energy modeling and financial analyses, minimized tenant utility bills while meeting the grant's prescriptive requirements.

The community is now nearing completion of construction and recently held a lottery providing low income applicants the opportunity to purchase a unit. New owners will be making their purchases and moving in shortly.

Energy Attributes

Energy Star Certified, 2x6 Walls with Cellulose Insulation, Energy Star Windows, High Efficiency (95%) Natural Gas Boilers, Tankless Water Heaters, Whole House Fans, Programmable Thermostats, Energy Star Appliances, Solar Electric Systems

Basic Overview

• Units: 16
• Square Footage: 950-1300/unit
• Bedrooms: 2-3/unit
• Bathrooms: 1-1.5/unit

Prices average $186,000 which is 30% of the average price of a Wayland, Massachusetts home sold in 2007.

More Information:
Smart, Green Affordable Features
Floorplans and Specifications
Affordability Documents
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