Green affordable housing is reasonably priced housing that incorporates sustainable features. The phenomenon has become increasingly common in the United States with the adoption of state and local policies that favor or require green building practices for publicly owned or funded buildings. Potential benefits of green affordable housing include lower energy cost burden and improved health. One challenge to green affordable housing is the tendency to overlook long-term benefits in the face of higher upfront cost. The challenge for green housing advocates is to see to the life cycle cost of the building.[1] Many affordable housing projects already find it a challenge to raise capital to finance basic affordable housing.[2] Green affordable housing has taken form in traditionally wooden homes and most recently with ‘upcycling’ shipping containers.
