March 30, 2016
The Shell received the award for Multifamily New Construction Project of the Year at the recent 2016 Sustainable Leadership Awards held in Richmond, VA.
The annual award recognizes the region’s premier developers, builders, architects, government officials and other industry professionals for their work in advancing the benefits of sustainable building.
The Shell is AHC’s third EarthCraft certified new construction project in Virginia. “We take pride in building our apartment communities to stand the test of time,” said Carlton Miller, AHC’s Vice President of Construction. “EarthCraft is a natural partner for us because we are both committed to creating a more efficient and healthy environment for our residents.”
The Shell, which opened for residents in 2015, provides 83 affordable apartments for families earning between 50% and 60% of the Area Median Income (AMI) There are five efficiencies, 10 one-bedroom apartments, 63 two-bedroom units, and 5 three-bedroom apartments
Designed by Cunningham-Quill Architects and constructed by Harkins Builders, the six-story structure is built around a central, green courtyard. The building also features a green roof, a community center, a fitness room for residents, a management office and 6,600 square feet of retail space on the first floor along Columbia Pike.
Other project partners include: Arlington County, Virginia Housing Development Authority, Capital One Bank and Hudson Housing Capital.
About EarthCraft and Viridiant
The EarthCraft program was created in 1999 by a partnership between Southface Energy Institute and the Greater Atlanta Home Builders Association and was brought to Virginia in 2006. Operated by Viridiant in Virginia, Washington, DC and Maryland, EarthCraft is a family of green building certification programs designed to address climate, energy and water issues unique to the southeastern United States. The program serves as a blueprint for energy and resource-efficient single-family homes, multifamily structures, renovation projects, community developments, light commercial buildings and sustainable preservation projects.
Viridiant is a non-profit organization committed to supporting sustainable building processes through education, consultation and certification. Through these efforts, Viridiant helps to set a path for businesses and homeowners to create structures that are more affordable, more liveable and more durable. Following 10 years of advocating for sustainable homes and buildings across the Commonwealth, EarthCraft Virginia took on the new name Viridiant, in order to serve an even broader range of goals. Learn more at viridiant.org
About AHC Inc.
AHC Inc., a nonprofit developer based in Arlington, VA, builds and preserves affordable and mixed-income housing in Virginia, Maryland and Washington, DC. Since 1975, AHC has developed more than 8,200 apartments in the mid-Atlantic region, including 3,400 in Arlington. AHC’s Resident Services program reaches thousands of children, teens, adults, and seniors each year through onsite education and social service programs and activities.
Media Contact: Jennifer K. Smith, Director of Communications, jennifer.smith@ahcinc.org/ 703-486‑0626 x1118