Item 10- Passive Housing Draft Resolution Original Version 2 of 3 — original pdf
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1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 Agenda: April 18, 2024 Sponsor: CM Pool, District 7 Co-Sponsors: Projects Subject: Adoption of a Passive House Challenge Program for Affordable Housing RESOLUTION NO. WHEREAS, the City of Austin recognizes the critical need for sustainable and affordable housing solutions to address the diverse housing challenges faced by our community; and WHEREAS, the City of Austin, in alignment with its commitment to climate action, has established a comprehensive Climate Equity Plan aimed at addressing environmental and social inequities in the community; and WHEREAS, the City of Austin has also developed a robust Climate Resilience Action Plan, outlining strategies to enhance the resilience of the community in the face of climate change impacts; and WHEREAS, the City of Austin seeks to encourage and support the development of affordable housing projects that adhere to the highest standards of energy efficiency, sustainability, and equity; WHEREAS, sustainable building practices, particularly those that are passive house certified, contribute significantly to energy efficiency, reduced environmental impact, and long-term affordability; and Page 1 of 3 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 WHEREAS, innovative programs such as the Passive House Design Challenge, as demonstrated by the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center, have successfully incentivized and promoted the construction of energy-efficient and affordable housing units; and NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF AUSTIN: The City Council directs the City Manager to establish a passive house program that includes the following goals: 1. Establishment of the Austin Passive House Challenge Program: The City of Austin hereby establishes the Austin Passive House Challenge Program to incentivize the development of affordable housing projects that achieve certification from the Passive House Institute US (PHIUS). 2. Program Details: a. Affordable housing projects that certify with PHIUS shall be eligible for financial incentives of up to $4,000 per housing unit, paid in three milestone payments during design ($1,000 for hiring a consultant and committing to certification), construction ($1,500 for precertification), and completion ($1,500 for final certification). b. Funding to be delivered to the project developer in the form of grants. c. Projects are required to share construction cost data, both hard and soft, and post- occupancy energy data. 3. Funding Allocation: The City Council allocates $4,000,000 from the Austin Energy budget to support the design and implementation of the Austin Passive House Challenge Program. 4. Reporting and Evaluation: Austin Energy (Or sustainability?) shall provide regular reports to the City Council on the progress and impact of the Page 2 of 3 program, including the number of projects certified, energy savings achieved, and any adjustments or improvements recommended. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: The City Council directs the City Manager to take necessary actions to implement and administer the Austin Passive House Challenge Program and to coordinate with relevant stakeholders to ensure its successful execution. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: 2026 on the progress of this pilot. The City Manager is directed to report back to council yearly starting in ADOPTED: , 2023 ATTEST: _______________________ Myrna Rios City Clerk 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 Page 3 of 3