At the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs, we are charged with investing in our communities for a better New Jersey.  We work to achieve that goal through a variety of innovative programs. To ensure a great quality of life for residents, we know we must provide jobs, housing and economic growth while at the same time preserving and protecting our natural resources.  In short, we must strike a balance between economic growth and environmental preservation.  Green design and construction can accomplish both. 

In 1998, DCA launched the state’s first sustainable development pilot program to test the viability of building energy efficient, environmentally friendly affordable housing.  The success of the pilot resulted in the creation of DCA’s Green Homes Office, two years later.  Since then, through the office’s New Jersey Affordable Green Program, we have offered technical assistance and training in green building design and inspired architects and construction professions across the state to “go green.” 

The New Jersey Affordable Green program is the only statewide green affordable housing program in the country.  Our initiative has become a national model for green affordable housing development and our staff regularly assists other states to advance similar programs. 

As green project designs come to fruition, the Department’s affordable housing production subsidy program, Balanced Housing, collaborates with the Green Office to fund appropriate projects.  In addition to the substantial subsidy that Balanced Housing will put into a project to write down the cost of development, up to $7,500 per unit can be added to each project if the developer incorporates green materials and technologies.  In the last five years, incorporating a blend of Balanced Housing and Green subsidies has produced over 2,200 energy-efficient homeownership and rental units across the state.

Indoor air quality is equally important, too.  Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) contribute to indoor air quality problems and photochemical smog; some pigments contain toxic heavy metals such as lead, cadmium and chromium.  Latex paints often require biocides and fungicides to protect paint from mold, mildew and bacteria.  These chemicals contribute to indoor air quality problems. 

By requiring low VOC materials, healthy and durable flooring and advanced ventilation systems, New Jersey renters and homeowners alike are provided with excellent air quality.   Low or no VOC paint is used in all of our 2,200 affordable units, and many projects also use low or no VOC caulks, sealants and adhesives for tile and carpet.

Carpet also contributes to poor indoor air quality and is difficult to clean.  Using healthy durable flooring including hardwood, ceramic, bamboo, linoleum, rubber and cork, we have been successful in eliminating carpet from living and dining rooms in many projects.  We are also cutting water usage by 50 percent through the use of innovative low water usage fixtures.

Housing units developed through the Green Homes Office are among the most energy efficient homes in New Jersey.  All are New Jersey Energy Star Certified, which is 30% more efficient than the Uniform Construction Code requires. Several stunning examples illustrate the return on a “green” investment: in Trenton, Bellevue Court Homes has two units that are 70% efficient.  In Atlantic City, two Zero Energy homes receive rebate checks each month from their electric utility for excess power generated.

We are so encouraged by the potential of the Affordable Green Program that we are preparing to amend the Balanced Housing program rules to require developers of all affordable housing seeking state funding to meet minimum green requirements.  These requirements include building strategies and materials that have a direct impact on land use and preservation, energy efficiency, resource consumption and indoor air quality.  The new rules will also give developers the option to receive additional funding for meeting a standard of performance that goes beyond the minimum requirements.   

On the drawing board is a program called New Jersey High Performance Homes Plus.  The program is designed to support the green efforts of market rate builders and promote the benefits of high performance home building and renovation.  High Performance Homes Plus will establish a state green building standard, advance whole system, energy efficient building practices among builders and educate consumers about the advantages of the features in their homes.  The program will coordinate with other national green building programs to address bioregional issues, and provide New Jersey builders and residents with a one of a kind program tailored to the specific needs of the State.

DCA’s Green Homes Office is also leading an effort to organize a Green Policy Working Group to promote sustainable development through state policy via the coordination of state agencies and programs, sharing of technical expertise and information, and collaboration on policy tasks that promote a green built environment.  The Policy Group will include state agencies and other stakeholders to develop statewide green policies for both affordable and market rate housing.  We envision this group to be responsible for developing green policies that can ultimately serve to inform other levels of decision-making agencies about green building.  Plans are also in the works to organize and sponsor a National Green Affordable Housing Conference right here in New Jersey. 

Green buildings are cleaner, healthier, brighter and more livable.  They represent the housing we need today to ensure a better tomorrow.  Working together with local officials, architects and builders, we are one step closer to preserving our future through the use of innovative green design and building technologies across the state. 

For more information, please contact the New Jersey Green Homes Office at 609-292-3931, by email at njgreenhome@dca.state.nj.us, or visit us on the web at www.nj.gov/dca/dh/gho/index.shtml.