MassDevelopment

Transformations of Townsend Breaks Ground on Devens Green Housing Project


June 6, 2011


Contacts:
Kelsey Abbruzzese, MassDevelopment, 617-330-2086 & 617-448-9077
R. Carter Scott, Transformations, 978-597-0542

MassDevelopment today joined Transformations, Inc., a Townsend-based residential development company specializing in sustainable building and green housing, as the company broke ground on eight single-family, moderately priced zero-net-energy homes – houses that produce as much energy as they use – in Devens. This project aligns with the Patrick Administration’s plans for zero-net-energy development in Massachusetts.

“What Transformations is building in Devens is housing for the future: energy-efficient, moderately-priced homes,” said MassDevelopment President and CEO Marty Jones. “These well-priced and well-sized houses can be built anywhere in the Commonwealth. By creating both green jobs and green housing at reasonable prices, this project will help increase economic activity and expand sustainable housing options.”

This milestone ground-breaking represents the first phase of a pilot designed to provide a replicable example of current and innovative sustainable building practices that are practical for the Commonwealth. After a competitive process, MassDevelopment selected Transformations as one of two developers who won the right to purchase residential lots and build energy-efficient homes in Devens. Governor Deval Patrick’s Final Report of the Massachusetts Zero Net Energy Task Force featured a Transformations Zero Energy Challenge home in Townsend as a residential case study and used its picture on the report’s cover. Discovery Channel recently showcased Transformations’ R. Carter Scott, who also serves on Governor Patrick’s Zero Net Energy Advisory Council.

“This is an exciting time for building ultra energy efficient housing in Massachusetts,” said Mr. Scott. “There is a perfect storm of federal, state and local incentives for building these homes, so the cost is now competitive with conventional construction. We have four developments in various locations in Massachusetts of our own and two developments that we are building out for other developers, so the word is starting to get out that this makes a lot of sense for the homeowner, the environment, and the builder.”

Transformations also builds custom zero energy homes, installs solar electric systems, does “deep energy” retrofits of existing homes, and consults for builders that want to incorporate more energy efficient building techniques into their homes.

MassDevelopment, the state’s finance and development agency works with businesses, nonprofits, financial institutions, and communities to stimulate economic growth across the Commonwealth. During FY2010, MassDevelopment financed or managed 238 projects in 104 communities across the state generating investment of nearly $1.4 billion in the Massachusetts economy.