Environmental Sustainability
At Mercy Housing, we care about the communities in which we serve, which is why we created Green Hope, our environmental sustainability program. This initiative was designed to reduce our consumption of natural resources, reduce our waste, and create healthier living environments.
Green Hope guides us in all aspects of our operations, from designing, building, and rehabilitating properties, to office practices, property operations, and resident services.
Michelle Butler, a Mercy Housing resident greets U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm, who announced the Affordable Home Energy Shot at Englewood Apartments in Chicago
Celebrating 10 years
Mercy Housing’s Green Hope environmental sustainability program celebrated its 10th anniversary in 2023. In early 2013, the newly established Environmental Sustainability Committee hired a temporary sustainability manager. Not long after, Mercy Housing committed to the Better Buildings Challenge and the Stewards of Affordable Housing’s Big Reach. These commitments have driven the Green Hope program’s mission for 10 years.
The many milestones Green Hope has achieved include implementing the first-ever pay-from-savings energy-efficient contract across 48 Mercy Housing communities – the first of its kind for multifamily nonprofit housing developers. Green Hope was also recognized with a 2023 Better Project Award from U.S. Department of Energy’s Better Buildings Initiative at Decatur Place Apartments in Denver, where leak detection and real-time water monitoring decreased water consumption by more than 30%.
Now with three full-time staff, Green Hope has introduced or improved sustainability and environmental features in more than 12,000 apartments at 154 properties across Mercy Housing over the life of the program.
Howard & Irene Levine Senior Community in Los Angeles is LEED certified Gold, and features water-efficient fixtures, native landscaping, solar panels, and efficient insulation and windows.
1
Celebrated ten years of impact, which equates to taking 2,900 gas vehicles off the road for a year or reducing water use by 300 Olympic-size swimming pools.
2
Decarbonized the hot water heating systems at three properties in California, reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 200,000 lbs. of carbon, which is equivalent to the amount of carbon filtered by 388 acres of U.S. forests in one year.
3
Received a Better Project Award from the Department of Energy for creating a replicable and successful case study for water leak detection and conservation.
4
Installed 1.5 megawatts of rooftop solar on seven properties, which will offset about 42% of building electricity usage and reduce residents' monthly utility bills by $36.