Westerville, OH, July 21, 2017 – The Woda Group Inc.’s beautiful Thompson Greene town home community in Butler, PA, was recently awarded LEED® Silver certification by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). LEED is the foremost program for buildings, homes and communities that are designed, constructed, maintained and operated for improved environmental and human health performance.
Thompson Greene is a 50-unit affordable rental community developed, constructed and managed by 
Woda. It was opened in the fall of 2016. Each of the 30 two-bedroom units and 20 three-bedroom units are not only constructed with highly sustainable materials that are environmentally friendly, FSC-certified through the Forest Stewardship Council, and have recycled, reclaimed and low volatile organic compound contents, they are also equipped with individually-controlled, high-efficiency heating and cooling systems, energy efficient windows, and Energy Star appliances. Thompson Greene also offers several amenities such as an outdoor basketball court, a playground and trails for walking, onsite management and maintenance and a community room.
The $11 million development was made possible in part through an allocation of Low Income Housing Tax Credits awarded by the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency (PHFA) with equity investment from City Real Estate Advisors, Inc. PHFA also provided a loan through the Agency’s PennHOMES Program and Citizens Bank of Pennsylvania provided construction and permanent loan financing. Thompson Greene is designed for residents who earn 20 to 60 percent of the area median income.
“LEED certification is a third-party endorsement of Woda’s steadfast commitment to create homes based on sustainable site development plus design methods, construction practices and materials that promote water savings, energy efficiency and indoor environmental quality,” said Andrew B. Cohen, Woda’s Senior Vice President who led the Thompson Greene development. “Living in a LEED-certified home means our residents enjoy day-in and day-out savings in living costs.”
A home can achieve LEED certification under the LEED homes program after undergoing a technically rigorous process, including the incorporation of green strategies to achieve efficiency and healthy indoor environments. The sound design and operation of the home is tested and measured using tools like a home energy (HERS) rating and onsite inspections.
“The Thompson Greene LEED certification demonstrates tremendous green building leadership,” said Mahesh Ramanujam, president and CEO, USGBC. “LEED was created to make the world a better place and revolutionize the built environment by providing everyone with a healthy, green and high performing buildings. Thompson Greene serves as a prime example of how the work of innovative building projects can use local solutions to make a global impact on the environment.”
The Woda Group, Inc. and its affiliates are experienced developers, general contractors, and property managers specializing in the design, construction, and management of affordable multi-family apartments, senior communities, and single-family homes. Considered leading experts in the affordable housing industry, the Woda team is known for producing and maintaining high quality affordable housing. Affordable Housing Finance Magazine ranked The Woda Group, Inc. 9th overall among Affordable Housing Developers and 22nd overall among Affordable Housing Owners in its April/May 2017 issue. The Woda Group, Inc. has developed and currently manages over 275 communities and over 10,000 units.
The Woda Group, Inc. has offices in Westerville, Ohio; Annapolis, Maryland; Savannah, Georgia; Shelbyville, Kentucky; Norfolk, Virginia; Indianapolis, Indiana; and Mackinaw City, Michigan. For more information, call (614) 641-2301 or visit www.wodagroup.com. For media inquiries, contact Karen Bernick (563) 320-2625.
Thompson Greene LEED 7.20.17 Final
