On January 20 U.S. Housing Secretary Steven C. Preston gave the Agency’s highest honor to Dave Sadowsky, Architect P.C. of Petersburgh for his design of the Universal Design/Green/Affordable Housing Prototype Home in Schenectady, NY. This green/affordable housing prototype, designed by Sadowsky for the City of Schenectady, was the recipient of the Platinum Award in HUD’s 25th annual Best in America Living Award (BALA) competition. The award specifically recognizes the excellence and features of the first of 13 such homes, recently completed and sold, being built and marketed to lower income, owner-occupant families under Schenectady’s $2 million Affordable Green Housing Initiative.
Sponsored by HUD, Professional Builder magazine and the National Association of Home Builders, the BALA program showcases homes that illustrate the best in design quality, succeed in the marketplace and exemplify the “Best in American Living.
The Universal Design/Green/Affordable Housing Prototype was chosen for its innovative combination of green, accessible and affordable housing features while maintaining sensitivity to the historic character of the adjoining community, The project has also achieved LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) National standard highest level, platinum certification. The homes are projected to use less than half the energy of a comparably sized house, thus providing the new homeowners long term affordability as well. In addition, through the use of “green” materials, the house has 1/3 the carbon footprint of a typical, similar sized house.
The 2008 BALA competition’s panel of 12 judges was composed of builders, marketing experts, architects, land planners, developers, design professionals, interior designers and Professional Builder editors. Winners will be featured in the February 2009 issue of Professional Builder magazine. For more information on the 2008 winners, visit www.probuilder.com/BALA.
Sadowsky, a 1977 graduate of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, started his own firm specializing in energy/socially conscious design in Petersburgh in 1984. His work has won several prior awards on the national level, including seven National Awards of Excellence for Project Design. In addition to multi-family affordable housing, the firm’s resume includes numerous senior and municipal community centers, senior housing, commercial and renewable energy projects. As a certified LEED AP (Leadership in Environmental and Energy Design Accredited Professional), the firm’s work has always been, and continues to be, geared towards “green” design.
For additional information, please contact, Professional Builder magazine at 630-288-8184.