WASHINGTON, April 29 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- There are roughly 99 million occupied permanent housing units in the United States, of which nearly 6 million are federally assisted. As the Congress and Obama Administration begin to consider ground-breaking climate change legislation it is notable that roughly 40 percent of the nation's current energy usage is by existing buildings. Addressing consumption by the existing housing stock must be an important part of any strategy. In response to this dynamic, the Council for Energy Friendly Affordable Housing (CEFAH), an affiliate of the National Housing & Rehabilitation Association, is convening a Green Housing Symposium on May 11 at the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza in Los Angeles, California. The Symposium will explore how leading developers, owners, and managers of federally assisted affordable rental housing properties are creatively implementing best practices and harnessing new technology and resources to dramatically improve the energy and utility performance of multifamily real estate and benefit residents. A primary focus of the program will be low-cost high-impact solutions that can be quickly implemented with minimal capital. Speakers will explore how affordable housing professionals can leverage billions of dollars in new "stimulus funds" from the American Recovery & Reinvestment Act to bring underperforming buildings in line with modern energy performance standards. The Symposium will also explore the Obama Administration's new renewable and green energy initiatives and how they relate to affordable housing.
