Workshop Recap: Technology Infrastructure in Affordable Housing
The COVID-19 pandemic has made clear the importance of easy, stable access to high-speed internet. For residents of affordable housing, greater technology access is an important amenity that bridges the digital divide and enhances resident lives. On Wednesday, May 5th, SCANPH convened for a workshop, Capitalizing on Technology Solutions in Affordable Housing: Opportunities to Reap Gains for Residents and Building Operations, to address the ways in which affordable housing developers can pursue new strategies to incorporate technology infrastructure into affordable housing properties. This workshop ignited discussion about opportunities to realize important gains for building operations that can greatly improve resident experiences. Exploring capital expenditures that pay off for developers in the future, panelists discussed ways to produce significant savings, long term building resiliency strategies, and how the Internet of Things shapes operations. Additionally, panelists considered the potential benefits of developer-owned technology infrastructure to generate potential revenue streams and avoid single-provider issues. This panel was moderated by Davis Park of Front Porch.
Kicking off the discussion, Tim Kohut, AIA, Director of Sustainable Design at National Community Renaissance, explained the overlapping roles of National CORE as developers, builders, constructors and managers of affordable housing. National CORE has been awarded numerous developer sustainability awards, a testament to their commitment to efficient energy. In today’s world, economics drive the energy code. National CORE’s portfolio includes a variety of Zero Net Energy projects for formerly homeless individuals and seniors. These projects have significantly lowered developer electricity bills and resident utility bills, passing on savings from developers to residents. The goal of each project is to balance rooftop electricity with demand; using operational economics to decrease electricity budget and maximizes project savings. National CORE is in the midst of installing 15MW of SOMAH Funded PV on 55 different projects throughout their entire portfolio, a project that will result in nearly free resident electricity bills and a near 40 percent reduction in developer operational energy costs. At National CORE, data and real time information is key to using the internet to improve energy efficiency, resident affordability and equity.
David Saunier, Founder and Partner at Centri Tech, discussed how the topic of broadband expansion has come into public discussion as people become heavily reliant on broadband while working and learning from home. At Centri Tech, the focus to bring broadband into the homes of low-income residents centers around the goal of providing opportunities for both low-income residents, as well as housing developers and resident services staff. Many major carriers have disincentivized broadband deployment in low-income and rural communities, resulting in inefficient deployment of capital across socioeconomic levels. Saunier believes that expansion advocates should focus most on digital advancement and its achievements that improve technology and internet infrastructure. By creating Property-Owned Network Infrastructure, developers can dramatically drive down resident connectivity costs, making it worthwhile for property owners to consider hardware installation during construction. To expand equity in the field of technology adoption, Centri Tech functions as a nonprofit to enroll residents in apprenticeship opportunities. An additional program helps teach residents technology skills through Centri Tech’s Digital Integrators program. To make financial sense of various costs, Centri Tech offsets monthly OPEX with tiered broadband pricing, streaming service bundles and 5G small cell antenna leasing. Through different financial models, Centri Tech is able to approach this work and achieve substantial savings.
Wrapping up the conversation, Chris Burger, Technology Program Manager at EAH Housing, shared personal testimonies about the power of knowledge sharing through technology. Burger is heavily involved in EAH’s River of Digital Literacy program and engages students by sharing best practices, stories and resources to expand access to affordable and effective broadband services. Through EAH’s digital literacy training and technology support curriculum, Burger addresses resident needs while fostering a sense of community focused on technology, the process and the people involved. Additionally, the program encourages students to learn about cyber security.