Roxbury townhouses make Boston history
They may be called ‘Roxbury E+ Townhouses’, but these homes get an A+ for energy efficiency.
The stylish ‘Roxbury E+ Townhouses’ of 226-232 Highland Street offer more than just two-story bay windows, landscaped yards, and third-level wooden terraces.
They’re also exceptionally eco-friendly, recently being named one of the top ten ‘green’ projects in the U.S. by The American Institute of Architects (AIA).
The four 1,970-square-foot units are equipped with rooftop solar panels and highly insulated triple-glazed windows that maximize natural light, and their two-and-a-half bathrooms also have reduced flow toilets and showerheads that minimize water consumption.
Here’s a peek inside the townhouses:
The eco-friendly perks are part of a citywide effort to create energy-positive housing, which the creators of Roxbury E+ Townhouses readily accomplished.
Under the industry standard by which a home’s energy efficiency is measured, the House Energy Rating System (HERS), the three-bedroom homes earned between -11 and -15, meaning they use net zero energy. Danzell said at worst, the homes are energy neutral in the winter months, but the units actually produce energy when measured annually.
“For a long time, it’s been very [much] about lessening adverse impacts of our buildings, but we’re turning a corner in that we are making our buildings have positive contributions,’’ said E+ program manager John Dalzell.
The Roxbury project won a competition as part of the city’s Boston E+ (energy positive) Green Building Program. Organized by the Boston Redevelopment Authority and the Department of Neighborhood Development, the goal of the competition was to create “deep green housing’’ and spread cost-effective sustainable homes across Boston neighborhoods.
Though three of the four units sold at the market rate, Dalzell said the homes’ green features would save homeowners serious cash in the long run.
“If you invest in things like solar panels, not only is it good for the environment, but it’s also good for you because you can save enough money that over five, six, or seven years, that investment pays for itself,’’ Dalzell said, citing state and federal tax credits, and lower electricity costs.
The city’s E+ building program has recently spread to other neighborhoods like Jamaica Plain and Mission Hill, and there are currently other E+ developments in the works for Highland Street in Roxbury, Dalzell said.
To comment, please create a screen name in your profile
To comment, please verify your email address
Conversation
This discussion has ended. Please join elsewhere on Boston.com