Demonstration Site: Miami HOPE VI
The goal of this project is to assist the Miami-Dade Housing Agency (MDHA) and its contractors to develop and construct an affordable housing community that features energy-efficient and sustainable products, technologies, and systems. The subject of the effort is the revitalization of Scott Homes and Carver Homes, two 1950s and ’60s public housing developments comprised of approximately 840 units. The project involved a three-day design charette that brought together project team members and representatives from local government, MDHA, and the community at large. This intensive planning exercise is an excellent way to study environmentally sustainable and energy-efficient design solutions that could be applied to the revitalization of Scott/Carver Homes.
Technologies
PATH helped form the building science committee final recommendations and supported the study and promotion of technologies and techniques from its Inventory that could be applied to this Hope VI project. The strategies considered include:
recycled demolition waste;
limited use of materials and products with high embodied energy;
recycled content;
locally produced materials and products;
low- or no-VOC content materials;
water-conserving products;
50% reduction of the energy use allowed under the current code;
storm water management;
alternative energy sources.
The project’s architect is now studying ways to incorporate these materials, products, and strategies into the final revitalization plans for Scott/Carver Homes.
Status Updates
May 2003 – Following the value-engineering meeting held in Miami on February 12th, and in light of the very tight budget considerations, the Building Science committee forwarded its final recommendations to the Miami-Dade Housing Authority. A separate cost/priority spreadsheet was developed by the Housing Authority and forwarded to the Building Science committee members for input. Each committee member supplied consensus recommendations with budget estimates. The Housing Authority has not responded to these consensus recommendations.
