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Green Pays, Payback Lags at SRO Residence

CHICAGO-After a year in operation, utility costs at the 96-unit Schiff SRO facility are nearly 25% lower than at a comparable non-green facility.

By Marita Thomas | Updated on March 20, 2008

CHICAGO-Denver-based Mercy Housing’s Environmental Stewardship Initiative has led to significant utilization of green building technologies in new and redeveloped low-income housing properties across the country. The company’s 96-unit single-room-occupancy Margot and Harold Schiff Residences here broke new ground for the company in both the application of green design strategies and the use of energy efficient building systems.

It was completed in March last year at a hard cost of approximately $11.9 million on land donated by the city. Cindy Holler, president of Mercy Housing Lakefront, which is Mercy’s Chicago-area region, tells GlobeSt.com this building represents the first time its full complement of green systems and elements have been used in combination.

The roof has 16 wind turbines and 40 solar collectors. There is a gray water system to collect runoff from sinks, tubs and showers and a storm-water runoff that channels excess rain to surrounding natural foliage where it is absorbed and utilized rather than overwhelming the city’s sewers.

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