Evergreen Sustainable Development Standard for Affordable Housing

July 15, 2022

Summary

The Washington State Department of Commerce created the Evergreen Sustainable Development Standard (ESDS), a set of green building criteria that is required for any affordable housing project applying for state funds through the Washington State Housing Trust Fund (HTF) beginning in July 2008. The standard is based on a point system which awards points for a variety of sustainable building practices including:

Site location and neighborhood planning;
Water conservation;
Energy efficiency and the incorporation of renewable energy technologies; and
Environmentally-conscious construction practices, building materials and improved indoor-air quality.

The standards were updated in 2018 to ESDS Version 4.0. A complete list of the newest standards can be found here.

Program Overview

Implementing Sector:	State
Category:	Financial Incentive
State:	Washington
Incentive Type:	Green Building Incentive
Web Site:	http://www.commerce.wa.gov/building-infrastructure/housing/housing-trust-fund/housing-trust-fund-evergreen-sustainable-development/
Administrator:	Washington Department of Commerce
Start Date:
Eligible Renewable/Other Technologies:	Solar Water Heat Solar Photovoltaics Clothes Washers Dishwasher Refrigerators/Freezers Water Heaters Lighting Furnaces Boilers Heat pumps Air conditioners Caulking/Weather-stripping Duct/Air sealing Building Insulation Comprehensive Measures/Whole Building

Contact

Name:	Sean Harrington
Organization:	Evergreen Standard and Projects Manager
Address:
Phone:	(360) 725-2995

This information is sourced from DSIRE; the most comprehensive source of information on incentives and policies that support renewables and energy efficiency in the United States. Established in 1995, DSIRE is operated by the N.C. Clean Energy Technology Center at N.C. State University.