American Planning Association awards Devens sustainable housing pilot project its Excellence in Sustainability Award

The American Planning Association has awarded the Devens sustainable housing pilot project its Excellence in Sustainability Award, recognizing the project's leadership in green planning, design, and development. The eight single-family homes and 12 townhomes at Adams Circle and Bates St. are designed to provide a replicable example of current and innovative sustainable building practices that are practical for the Commonwealth. All 20 homes are occupied and some have Home Energy Rating System (HERS) ratings of net zero energy or even net positive energy, which can generate enough energy to power an electric car. "MassDevelopment is proud of the Devens green housing project's many successes, and we are grateful to the American Planning Association for recognizing its innovation and sustainability," said MassDevelopment president and CEO Marty Jones. "Thanks to the vision and hard work of the Devens Enterprise Commission, Metric Corp., and Transformations, these homes represent the future of residential construction in Massachusetts and beyond." "This is the type of collaboration between the public and private sector that spurs innovation" said William Marshall, chairman of the Devens Enterprise Commission. "We are extremely pleased to have nominated MassDevelopment, Transformations and Metric Corporation for this prestigious award and to have played a small part in securing it." The project took into account environmentally sensitive site design and the connection between housing and economic development, combining low-impact development, smart growth, flexible zoning, and financial feasibility. MassDevelopment selected the developers - Metric Corp. of Boston, which built the townhomes, and Transformations of Townsend, the single-family developer - in 2010 after a competitive process. All the homes have been occupied since 2013. "Metric Corporation is pleased and proud to be part of this outstanding demonstration project that proved how much can be achieved with common-sense, energy-efficient building," said Geoffrey Caraboolad, president of Metric. "We appreciated the opportunity to work with MassDevelopment and Transformations in this effort and would like to thank the American Planning Association for the granting of this award." "MassDevelopment and the Devens Enterprise Commission were a pleasure to work with on this innovative development," said Carter Scott, president of Transformations. "We were able to achieve building and selling energy-positive homes as a result of their combined pilot project intentions and support through the development and building process." Located in north-central Massachusetts and managed by MassDevelopment, Devens is home to a varied mix of businesses, government organizations, and nonprofits employing more than 4,000 people. Created by statute in 1993 to support business growth and attract economic development opportunities in the region, the 4,400-acre site features fast-track permitting and other incentives for businesses. The former military installation is recognized today as a national model for military base redevelopment. Along with its business tenants, the Devens community also includes more than 2,100 acres of recreation and open space, private residences, schools, and a network of human and social services providers.