Harborlight Community Partners is committed to operating efficient and environmentally friendly affordable housing. Listed below are just some of our efforts:

• Whipple Riverview Place:
  Bordering the Ipswich River this 10 unit low income elder project boasts a green roof – a 3000 square foot space thriving with vegetation. Home to at least ten species of flowering plants, the lush roof-top area links man-made and natural environments by providing natural onsite management of storm water runoff. The soil and plants absorb rainwater, and the plant roots remove and filter pollutants. The green roof at Whipple Riverview Place is especially vital as it helps protect the adjacent Ipswich River from pollution and erosion. For more information on this exciting project please select the links below.
  • http://www.mass.gov/dcr/waterSupply/ipswichRiver/demo2-greenroof.htm
  • http://www.essexcountyforum.org/documents/WaytoGrow_Whipple.pdf

   

• Green Materials:
  We are experimenting with a cement board fiber and a durable PVC material at some of our properties. Cement board is a green material that is recycled, does not rot, and does not get damaged like wood.

   

• Power:
  We are pursuing an application with the Department of Housing and Community Development to allow a combined heat and power system at Turtle Creek and Turtle Woods. If allowed this system would utlize natural gas for heat while creating electricity to be used on site in the same process.  For more inforamtion on the "cogeneration" system please see http://www.aegisenergyservices.com/

 

• Electricity:
  Timers are now installed in appropriate common areas to turn off the power when not needed.  Bulbs are being switched to compact fluorescents to reduce consumption. Light sensors are used to ensure that switches are not left on. Appliances are being upgraded to energy star systems  

• Recycling:
  We are recycling between 10-12 tons of paper a year now via two paper dumpsters at Turtle Creek and Turtle Woods (399 Essex St. Beverly MA 01915). Additionally for each ton of paper we receive a small sum back from the recycling company for our efforts which can be reinvested in other activities. Please feel free to come up and drop your paper off too to help increase the return! We are now recycling all the cardboard leaving our larger facilities Turtle Creek, Turtle Woods, and Harborlight House. The cardboard generated from these 211 units of housing is now being diverted from the land fill. We encourage tenants and provide containers to recycle glass, plastic, and metals. A dramatic reduction in trash going in the dumpster has been the result.