Boston— In a bold call for cross-sector collaboration to address two of the most urgent urban challenges—housing affordability and climate resilience—the Boston Society for Architecture (BSA/AIA), AIA New York (AIANY), and AIA Los Angeles (AIA|LA) have jointly released their final report, “Penciling Out: Outcomes & Ideas”.
The report concludes their national webinar series, “Penciling Out: Financing Solutions for Affordable & Climate Forward Housing,” and outlines strategies to make sustainable, all-electric affordable housing projects financially viable.
The series, sponsored by Sustainability Investment Group (SIG), brought together professionals across architecture, development, finance, utilities, and community organizations to address how climate goals and housing needs can—and must—be met together.
“We are grateful for the partnership with BSA, AIA NY and AIA LA… Helping designers get comfortable with the tools and terms is something we love to do,” said Monte Hillman, Vice President of Environmental Resiliency at SIG.
Rethinking the Math: Affordable and Green Can Coexist
The Penciling Out report challenges the long-standing belief that high-performance, affordable housing is too costly or complicated to build. By sharing tested capital stack models, incentive pathways, and region-specific strategies, the report provides a roadmap to scale these developments nationally.
“This collaboration was not only about sharing information, but also about building alignment and accelerating solutions,” said Miranda D’Oleo, Program Manager of Policy & Advocacy at the BSA. “Affordable, all-electric housing is not only possible—it’s already happening.”
Massachusetts Takes the Lead
The report highlights Massachusetts as a standout for aligning design-led advocacy with state programs. The Mass Save program now requires all new participating buildings to be all-electric, offering up to $40,000 per unit for Passive House projects and further incentives for electrification and feasibility studies.
Additionally, state-level initiatives like MassHousing’s $50 million Community Climate Bank, the Energy Saver Home Loan, and Climate Ready Housing grants are increasing developer capacity—especially among smaller, community-rooted developers.
Federal Support and Local Success
Federal tax incentives such as the Investment Tax Credit, 179D deductions, and 45L credits continue to enhance project viability. These tools can be assigned to design teams, increasing the value and impact of energy-efficient building strategies.
One example featured in the report is The Kenzi, Boston’s first fully electrified affordable multifamily building. Developed by Preservation of Affordable Housing (POAH) and DREAM Collaborative, the 50-unit Passive House-level project in Roxbury incorporates cutting-edge systems and materials—such as a 70 kWh battery backup and Glavel, an aerated glass aggregate—to achieve high resilience and low-carbon design.
A Unified National Movement
AIA chapters across the country see the Penciling Out series as a model for collective impact.
“Joining forces with other local AIA chapters tackling similar issues head-on is critical,” said Jesse Lazar, Executive Director of AIA New York.
“This collective effort informs, inspires, and connects stakeholders,” added Will Wright, Director of Government & Public Affairs at AIA Los Angeles.
The Road Ahead
While the webinar series has concluded, its momentum continues. The BSA and partner organizations urge ongoing advocacy, innovation, and collaboration to keep building on this work.
“Tackling the housing and climate crises will require sustained collaboration and creativity,” said Wandy Pascoal, Program Manager of Housing Innovation & Awards at the BSA. “We are committed to fostering the partnerships and imagination needed to break down silos and build the climate-forward, affordable, and beautiful homes our communities need.”
The final report, Penciling Out: Outcomes & Ideas, is now available and provides a toolkit for communities, designers, and policymakers seeking to create affordable, climate-aligned housing at scale.
