WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Benjamin L. Cardin (D-MD) (D-MD) today joined U.S. Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Shaun Donovan, Congressman Elijah Cummings (MD-7 ) and Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake visited Poppleton Phase II Apartments to highlight how the development is promoting energy efficient innovation and creating jobs in Baltimore, MD, supporting President Barack Obama’s goal of helping America “Win the Future.”
Senator Cardin toured the 86-unit apartment complex that received $1.56 million from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act’s (ARRA) Assisted Housing Green Retrofit Program. The Green Retrofit Program is providing funding for the installation of high-efficiency heat pumps for heating and cooling, new high-efficiency windows, a EnergyStar cool roof with added insulation, low-flow toilets, shower heads and faucets, and EnergyStar gas water heaters, refrigerators and bathroom exhaust fans for dozens of low and moderate income families. When the project is complete at the end of this year, 180 jobs will have been created for Baltimore-area residents directly from the project’s funding. Additionally, many more clean-energy jobs will be created through the University of Maryland’s BioPark, a new $300 million biotech campus that is situated near the Poppleton Phase II Apartments.
“The Poppleton project will provide low-income families with energy-saving housing that will help them reduce their energy costs,” said Senator Cardin. “Paid for with Recovery funds, this project is a win-win, creating jobs while providing families with affordable, energy-saving housing.”
“The Poppleton Phase II Apartments is a reminder of the targeted investments that President Obama spoke about during his State of the Union speech this week,” said Secretary Donovan. “This development represents the type of innovation we need, by bringing clean energy investments to the homes of many low-and-moderate income Americans who will be able to save hundreds of dollars on their utility bills for many years to come I am delighted to have visited the development today to see an example of how communities across America are renewing their commitment to securing prosperity for ourselves and future generations of Americans.”
As part of the Recovery Act, the Green Retrofit Program provided $250 million nationally to reduce energy costs, cut water consumption, and improve indoor air quality. The program is designed to create thousands of green jobs across the country as workers retrofit older federally assisted multi-family apartment developments with the next generation of energy efficient and green building technologies. These Recovery Act funds also produce other environmental benefits by encouraging the use of recycled building materials, reflective roofing, and non-toxic products to reduce potentially harmful ‘off-gassing’ of harmful fumes. Funds were awarded to owners of HUD-assisted housing projects and can be used for a wide range of retrofit activities, ranging from windows/doors to solar panels and geothermal installation.
