Over the course of two decades, Enterprise Green Communities has transformed the quality of affordable housing in America, with residents and communities at the center, driving and inspiring our work.

That essential work continues. Once again, we’ve brought together a coalition of affordable housing residents and practitioners, sustainability experts, and advocates to recommit and define critical practices, materials, and methods. Our ultimate objective remains healthy, efficient, resilient, and environmentally responsible affordable homes. The criteria shared in this manual establish a proven and practical approach to bringing the benefits of green design and construction to the residents of affordable housing, while creating a pathway for developers that seek to improve upon the status quo in the areas of energy efficiency, resilience, and health and well-being.

As a community of affordable housing providers, we have an opportunity to afford residents greater choice and agency in the decisions that shape where they live, and to expand opportunities through access to transportation, quality food, critical services, and more. Green building practices leverage all of this. Green Communities aligns affordable housing investment strategies with environmentally responsive building practices.

2026 Enterprise Green Communities Criteria

We developed the 2026 Green Communities Criteria to translate the collective expertise of leading housing and green building practitioners into a clear, cost-effective framework for all affordable housing development types.

The 2026 Criteria are suitable for new construction, substantial rehab, and moderate rehab in multifamily and in single-family homes. We provide special considerations for developments located in rural, tribal, and small-town locations. Where relevant, exemptions based on project location or on development type are identified within each criterion.

Each criterion in this manual starts with a Rationale that describes the intended impact and value of implementing the strategy described. That’s followed by a Requirements section that shares how an affordable housing team can achieve the intent of the criterion. Next, Recommendations offer suggestions that go beyond the requirement for teams interested in pursuing the criterion more intensively. Finally, each criterion includes a Resources section with links to information that may be of use to teams as they consider and implement each strategy.

Certification

Green Communities Certification is available for any housing development in the United States that includes affordable dwelling units.

Certification involves a two-step online submission and review process: prebuild and postbuild. Project teams submit their prebuild application near the end of the design phase, prior to the start of construction. Postbuild applications are submitted shortly after the project has received its certificate of occupancy. Upon receipt of each application, the Green Communities team conducts a thorough review of the materials and responds, clearly indicating whether the application was approved or needs further work. For projects that receive prebuild as well as postbuild approval, Green Communities certifies that the criteria were met in full and recognizes the project team for their accomplishment.

For the first time in our program, three levels of certification are available: Green Communities Certification, Green Communities Certification Plus, and Green Communities Certification Plus Zero Emissions. Green Communities projects that earn the “Plus” level of certification are highly efficient and all electric. Projects that achieve “Plus Zero Emissions” have advanced one step further, and all site energy is supplied by clean energy sources.

All projects must achieve compliance with the mandatory criteria measures applicable to their construction type. New construction projects earning at least 40 points from optional criteria, and substantial and moderate rehab projects achieving at least 35 points from optional criteria, will be recognized with Green Communities certification.

Online resources

Enterprise provides tools and resources to assist with the design, development, and operations of affordable housing. Many are available in the Enterprise Learning Center: www.enterprisecommunity.org/learning-center.

For a full description of the Green Communities certification process, including required documentation for the prebuild and postbuild submissions, visit www.greencommunitiesonline.org/.

If you have questions about Green Communities certification, email certification@enterprisecommunity.org.

Construction: Incorporate criteria from the design phase into the project.
Postbuild: Instruct O&M staff and engage residents in the green aspects of the project; gather feedback on the Criteria’s usability.
Prebuild: Design your project using the Criteria for environmental, economic, health, and societal benefits.