The Betty Green Apartments is an award-winning, 65-unit affordable housing project in Boston’s Jackson Square neighborhood—and one of Utile’s first Phius certified buildings. Completed in 2025, the project offers a clear look at what it takes to deliver high-performance affordable housing within real-world constraints.
In this Project of the Month session, the team will walk through the design and delivery of Betty Green, focusing on the practical decisions, tradeoffs, and lessons that continue to inform their growing Phius portfolio. From podium construction challenges to material simplification and repeatable details, this conversation centers on what actually worked—and what they’d do again.
You’ll learn about:
Cost-effective strategies for balancing budget, performance, and architectural quality in affordable housing
How siting, urban design, and form factor shaped decisions for a dense, transit-oriented project
Navigating podium construction transitions while maintaining air and thermal continuity
Lessons learned from delivering one of a firm’s first Passive House projects—and how those lessons scale
This session is especially relevant for teams working on (or considering) their first high-performance multifamily or affordable housing project.
Nick Buehrens is a Principal at Utile and a registered architect focused on affordable, sustainable multifamily housing. He is a Phius Certified Consultant and helps lead the firm’s commitment to high-performance design.
Kyle Belcher is an Associate at Utile and a licensed architect who led the day-to-day design of the Betty Green Apartments from concept through construction.
Jeff Geisinger is Director of Sustainable Design and an Associate Principal at Utile. He leads the firm’s building performance and decarbonization work and served as the CPHC for the Betty Green project.
This free presentation will take place on Wednesday, February 11th at 9am PT / 12pm ET and will be followed by a lively Q+A session. Don't miss this opportunity to learn from industry leaders and engage with the PHA community. See you there!