Ithaca, NY (WHCU) – Governor Andrew Cuomo announced that INHS was awarded one of 28 prizes under the first round of the Buildings of Excellence Competition for its highly energy efficient affordable housing development in the Village of Trumansburg, Village Grove Apartments. The proposed project will receive $932,280 for its forty-unit multifamily rental building that is a component of the larger proposed Crescent Way subdivision.

Village Grove is expected to be INHS’ greenest project to date, which will contribute to New York’s carbon neutral future. The building will be one of the first affordable housing developments in upstate New York to attain Passive House certification and utilize ground source heat pumps, and plans to achieve NetZero through the purchase of offsite community solar.

In March 2019, Governor Cuomo announced the launch of the $30 million “Buildings of Excellence” Competition to advance the design, construction and operation of low- and zero-carbon emitting building projects that also provide comfortable, healthy and affordable living and working spaces. The program supports Governor Cuomo’s Green New Deal, the most aggressive climate change program in the nation.

“Reducing harmful emissions from buildings is critically important to our carbon neutral future and a vital part of New York’s aggressive strategy to curb the impacts of climate change and stimulate green economic development,” Governor Cuomo said.

New Yorkers alone pay about $35 billion annually for electricity and heating fuels, and buildings account for 59 percent of statewide greenhouse gas emissions.

“INHS is committed to high quality building standards, and this funding will allow us to continue on our path of building sustainable affordable housing that improves the quality of life for our residents, and the community as a whole,” said INHS Executive Director Johanna Anderson.