Hope Village Upgrade Network concept (The Hope Vision: Sustainable Community Builders) was selected as an Equity-Centered Innovation Pathway Winner for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Buildings UP Prize.
Photo Credit: Jesus Arzola-Vega
We believe in the power of collaboration. This month, we're shining a spotlight on Hope Village Revitalization (HVR).
HVR learned last week that their Hope Village Upgrade Network concept (The Hope Vision: Sustainable Community Builders) was selected as an Equity-Centered Innovation Pathway Winner for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Buildings UP Prize.
The goal of the Buildings Upgrade Prize (Buildings UP) is to provide funding and technical assistance in developing initiatives to bring energy efficiency and building electrification upgrades to scale while also reducing greenhouse gas emissions, providing economic development opportunities, and centering equity and health. For this first phase of the prize, HVR will be awarded $400,000 to address challenges to electrification and energy efficiency through a grass roots strategy of mobilizing and equipping community development organizations in Detroit to do this work.
Working with four other community organizations in Detroit, over the next five years HVR’s goals are to upgrade 10 to 100 buildings - including single family, multifamily residential and commercial - in Detroit and Highland Park, Michigan with solar and energy efficiency improvements including high levels of insulation, electrification with heat pumps and heat pump water heaters.
It was wonderful to witness the community revitalization work led by Hope Village during the May Learning Community Collaboratory Retreat through the tour of HVR’s cutting edge La Salle Eco-Demonstration Home. It is so exciting to see the opportunity for their model to be expanded to buildings throughout Detroit and Highland Park.
Congratulations to the entire HVR Hope Vision Sustainable Community Builders Team!