Portland, Ore. – The Green Building Initiative (GBI) is pleased to announce the inclusion of Green Globes certification in the state of Utah’s Qualified Allocation Plan (QAP), the state’s housing credit program. Administered by the Utah Housing Corporation (UHC), the program is intended to provide a fair and competitive means of using low-income housing credits each year as an effective stimulus for the creation and preservation of rental housing for lower income households.
The UHC has increased the number of eligible points to affordable housing projects that achieve Green Globes certification or other green building certifications listed in the QAP. Expanding green building certification options encourages low-income housing credit projects to increase energy efficiency and promote the installation of emission-free appliances/equipment.
“GBI applauds the Utah Housing Corporation and Governor Cox for the inclusion of Green Globes certification to create an open market QAP that will result in sustainable, healthy, and resilient low-income housing,” said Vicki Worden, GBI’s President & CEO. “Green Globes remains a great fit for Utah’s combined sustainability and affordability objectives because our comprehensive certification is supported by dedicated experts and delivered in a proven time- and cost-effective manner.”
To date, GBI has certified nearly 600 million square feet of commercial and multifamily real estate, including over 215,000 units of multifamily, workforce, and affordable housing. GBI’s reputation for excellence has been earned by applying a tailored approach to certification. GBI pairs project teams with highly qualified third-party assessors from the earliest stages of their efforts through onsite assessment and walk-through and delivery of a customized final certification report. All assessors have significant experience in the design and operation of sustainable buildings. GBI’s Green Globes interactive software allows building owners to monitor and compare performance for individual buildings or across portfolios.
GBI is pleased to offer education and support to interested A/E/C firms, sustainability consultants and building owners pursuing Green Globes certification. Please contact info@thegbi.org to schedule a meeting or presentation.
To access the 2024 Utah QAP, please visit https://utahhousingcorp.org/pdf/2024_Final_QAP-230614.pdf