Kingstown Crossings is First to register for LEED-H/Multifamily in RI
Kingstown Crossings, a three-phase, 104 unit development to create affordable housing by Crossroads RI in North Kingstown is the first project to register with LEED for Homes/Multi-Family in Rhode Island, as well as the first affordable housing project to do so. With construction underway by TRAC Builders, the first phase with 24 apartment homes will be ready for occupancy in the spring of 2011.
LEED for Homes is administered by the US Green Building Council, and certification will be earned only after construction is complete. LEED for Homes is a consensus-developed, third party-verified, voluntary rating system which promotes the design and construction of high-performance green homes. The project is targeting the Silver level, and to acheive this rating, the buildings must demonstrate high performance in a number of areas including energy efficiency, water conservation, responsible use of materials and resources, site location and linkages, indoor air quality, and other aspects of a well-rounded approach to green building.
Some of the features include tightly-built construction and insulation, high-efficiency boilers, use of ceiling fans to avoid air conditioners, and flooring that does not contain PVC. Raingardens throughout the site with drought-tolerant plants that do not need irrigation and do not overload the stormwater system flowing into Narragansett Bay. For improved indoor air quality, no carpet is used, all paints and sealants are low-VOC, and all units use an EPA recommended passive radon control system. This project is also tracking the origin and recycled content of all major materials so local sources of building materials can be documented and promoted. A unique feature of the LEED for Homes program is that each building must also pass a durability inspection to make sure the construction will be long lasting.
The net result will be homes for people in the community that are not only affordable to build, but comfortable, healthy, durable, and affordable to maintain with lowered utility bills.