Emily Francis & Michelle Shoresman, from left, of San Luis Obispo City Council; Andy Pease of San Luis Obispo City Council & In Balance Green Consulting; Ken Trigueiro & Shelly Higginbotham of PSHH; Candice Wong of Central Coast Green Building Council & Ten Over Studio. Courtesy photo.
Organization recognized with Silver Certification
CENTRAL COAST — This month, People’s Self-Help Housing (PSHH) have unveiled their new Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED) Silver award at their corporate headquarters in San Luis Obispo.
Achieved in collaboration with In Balance Green Consulting and the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), this certification recognizes properties built with exceptional sustainable construction practices. The goal of LEED is to create ‘better buildings that promote sustainability, enhance individual human health, and protect and restore water resources’.
The 24,000-square-foot, two-story office building, supports nearly 100 PSHH staff members and is additionally used to host over 100 community and nonprofit events a year exemplifies LEED practices and features bike racks and lockers, refillable water bottle stations, solar panels, efficient HVAC air filtration systems, and drought-resistant landscaping designed to return rainwater back into the ecosystem.
“PSHH is committed to creating sustainable communities, both for the residents at our properties and the staff members who live and work throughout our footprint,” said Ken Trigueiro CEO & President, “We are honored to have received this recognition for these efforts and will continue to implement these same standards in our building practices throughout the Central Coast.”
Of all LEED certified projects in the country, only 2% are nonprofit owned; the PSHH headquarters in San Luis Obispo is now part of this distinguished data point, building on the organization’s commitment to meeting and exceeding energy efficient standards. Other PSHH properties which have received LEED designations include Jardin de Las Rosas in Santa Barbara, Los Adobes de Maria III in Santa Maria, and Guadalupe Court in Guadalupe.
To learn more about People’s Self-Help Housing, visit pshhc.org.
About Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED)
LEED?(Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) is the world’s most widely used green building rating system. LEED certification provides a framework for healthy, highly efficient, and cost-saving green buildings, which offer?environmental, social and governance benefits.?LEED certification is a globally recognized symbol of sustainability achievement, and it is backed by an entire industry of committed organizations and individuals paving the way for market transformation. Learn more at usgbc.org/leed.
About People’s Self-Help Housing (PSHH)
Founded in 1970, PSHH is the longest-serving nonprofit affordable housing organization on the Central Coast. With a mission of building homes and providing services to strengthen communities and change lives, PSHH serves low-income households, working families, seniors, veterans, farmworkers, those living with disabilities and the formerly homeless. It also provides homeownership opportunities through a self-help, “sweat equity” program that has seen over 1,200 homes successfully completed. PSHH has a presence in San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Ventura and Monterey counties, manages over 2,000 rental units, and employs over 200 staff members. PSHH acknowledges the indigenous people of the territories that our organization occupies, including the Chumash, Salinan, Yokuts, Kitanemuk, and Tataviam people. To read the full land acknowledgement, visit pshhc.org/IDEA. For more information about the organization, visit pshhc.org, email info@pshhc.org or phone (805) 781-3088.