Harlan H Griswold Award

On April 27, 2009, Neighborhood Housing Services of New Haven was honored at the 2009 Connecticut Preservation Awards Ceremony held by the Connecticut Trust for Historic Preservation in Wethersfield. NHS Executive Director Jim Paley was on hand to accept the Harlan H. Griswold Award for Excellence presented by Helen Higgins, Executive Director of the CT Trust for Historic Preservation, and Karen Senich, Executive Director of the Connecticut Commission on Culture and Tourism.

The award "recognizes those individuals, corporations or organizations whose activities exemplify Harlan Griswold's leadership, vision and selfless dedication to preserving Connecticut's heritage and who by deed or example have made our state a better place for all of its citizens." NHS received special recognition for its 12 contiguous Fairlawn Manor houses, all of which appear on the State Register of Historic Places and are being meticulously restored to historic specifications.  Read more about the award at the CT Trust for Historic Preservation website.

Connecticut Green Building Council Award

In 2009, the Home Improvement and Energy Conservation Laboratory was named as the most intriguing commercial building. "The Home Improvement and Energy Conservation Laboratory submitted by the Neighborhood Housing Services of New Haven, Inc. immediately caught the jury’s attention.

Although the project was limited in scale, it sits in the midst of the community it serves and incorporates many sustainable features that readily demonstrate building projects the neighbors can examine firsthand and understand well enough to undertake on their own.  Originally a neighborhood grocery store in the late 1890’s, the frame, and later masonry addition, single story building illustrates how much can be created out of a very small space and budget.  Many of the products used in the building are recycled including light fixtures, built-in cabinetry and office furnishings.  The extensive green roof planted with sedum can accommodate any future expansion the photo voltaic array already providing energy to the building.  The first residential scale cogeneration system in the state is used to heat and cool the building."

CTGBC's Highlights of the design:

- Extremely small space opened up into a very successful demonstration that we believe will only get better uponcompletion

- The ability to achieve LEED Gold with a minimum impact on the community and budget

- Photovoltaic plans to provide complete energy needs for this building

- Total Reuse of all materials within the structure.