Green Communities

Buildings are responsible for nearly 40% of emissions globally, giving us the power to slow the pace of climate change through thoughtful building design, construction, and operation.

Twenty years ago, we launched the nation’s only green building program created with and for the affordable housing sector. Today, ours is the most widely adopted criteria in the sector with over 187,000 certified units nationwide and 32 states — along with the District of Columbia and cities like New York City — now requiring or incentivizing developers seeking funding to meet our standards.

Building Green is just one pillar of our comprehensive response to climate change. Our Building Resilient Futures team is also leading the industry in Climate Risk Reduction and Equitable Decarbonization.

Our Impact

For over 20 years, our Green Communities have created healthy, sustainable and affordable homes for over 1 million people.

LIVING GREEN

2300

affordable housing developments nationwide have met Green Communities certification to date.

EMISSIONS PREVENTED

26000

of CO₂ emissions prevented by our Green Communities-certified homes.

SAVINGS

131

saved in water and energy costs by our Green Communities-certified homes.

In addition to our industry-leading standards, we provide grants and technical assistance to advance high-quality affordable housing development. We also partner with researchers to improve the health and quality of indoor environments, and engage with federal, state, and local leaders on polices that further green affordable housing development.

Many of those most vulnerable to climate change live in socially and economically disadvantaged communities, which is why we’re committed to advancing racial equity and supporting upward mobility. All of our capital tools, technical assistance, programs, and policy solutions are designed to make affordable housing in communities across America healthier and more prepared to withstand severe weather events.

Green Communities Criteria

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Our cost-effective, above-code green building program includes integrative design, site considerations, water, energy, healthy building, operations/maintenance, and resident engagement. It is applicable for new construction, substantial and moderate rehabilitation, historic properties, and adaptive reuse across both multifamily and single-family affordable housing projects.

In partnership with the International Well Building Institute and their WELL Building Standard, we’ve leveraged the best of these impactful programs, and created a path for affordable housing developments in the United States to create best-in-class healthy, efficient, and environmentally responsible homes. Projects that achieve certification with the 2020 Criteria are recognized as certified under both Enterprise Green Communities and the WELL Building Standard.

Benefits of Our Approach

Provides strategies to help developments move closer to zero emissions
Outlines resilience criteria that helps better prepare homes to withstand local climate hazards
Integrates healthy living practices, from ventilation to healing-centered design
Delivers a dual certification with the WELL Building Standard
Includes water standards that promote efficiency and protect against lead poisoning
Uses an integrative design approach to establish collective priorities, giving residents a voice in the process
Promotes economic mobility

Learn more about our criteria and eligibility requirements.

Updated Criteria Coming Next Year

The one-and-only green building standard created with and for the affordable housing sector, Enterprise Green Communities, undergoes an update every five years. That means we’re ramping up to roll out the 2026 version of the criteria by the new year.

Your voice, insights, and knowledge are invaluable. That’s why we’re looking to experts like you to engage and help us renew the promise of healthy, efficient, resilient affordable housing for all. Sign up below for updates on the new criteria, including opportunities to provide feedback later this year.

Stay Updated

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Community Green

Green Communities

Making Zero Emissions Possible

Enterprise recently modified its Green Communities criteria to simplify how developers pursuing our highest level of certification, Certification Plus, can align their projects with the Department of Energy’s newly released National Definition of Zero-Emission Building. As a result, housing providers now have more opportunities to access valuable funding and incentives through the Inflation Reduction Act while supporting energy and emissions goals for the sector. In another recent update, the criteria now offer housing providers embarking on deep energy retrofits a clear course to Certification Plus, giving existing buildings an on-ramp for IRA opportunities, as well as funding through the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit and the Community Development Block Grant – Disaster Recovery.

Learn more.

Ready to Get Started?

We are passionate about turning our best practices into standard practices and are here to support you on this journey. To make things easy, we’ve created a certification portal with everything you need to complete your application.

In addition to a comprehensive overview of our application process, the portal has customizable templates, tools, and calculators for your green building certification submittal. We also host regular office hours to answer your certification questions.

Advancing Green Affordable Housing Development

Three people talking at a construction site

In addition to our industry-leading standards, we partner with researchers and government organizations to advance the field of green affordable housing development.

Our practice-informed guidance leverages more than four decades of experience in both successful advocacy at all levels of government and program execution to create actionable policies. At the national level, we work with affordable housing institutions including HUD, Freddie Mac, and Fannie Mae to associate more favorable financial incentives for housing that achieves green building standards.

Our team is always working to deepen our understanding of how green building, policies, and practices can help expand opportunity in communities nationwide. Throughout our history, we have partnered with a variety of leading institutions on research projects designed to advance the field, for example, “Studying Optimal Ventilation for Environmental Indoor Air Quality” with the National Center for Healthy Housing.

Looking to Implement a Green Program in Your State?

More than 30 states currently include Green Communities Criteria as part of their Qualified Action Plans for the distribution of Low-Income Housing Tax Credits — and many more include some level of green and/or energy incentive(s). We provide guidance on best practices to housing finance agencies and other organizations to help continually move the needle on green building and work nationwide with coalition partners to advance green building across the country. Learn more about the certification offerings in your state’s QAP.

Enterprise Green Communities in LIHTC Qualified Allocation Plans shaded on the map of the United States

Start Your Certification

We created a certification portal with a comprehensive overview of our application process, eligibility requirements, customizable templates, tools and more. Start your submittal today.

Get Certified