Sustainability

Our commitment to expanding opportunities for Detroit’s kids and communities led us to make significant energy efficiency investments in our new urban equestrian center. Through partnering with the Sustainability Institute of Detroit, which worked closely with our design and construction teams, we have drastically reduced the energy demand of our new space and included renewable energy production, giving our building the opportunity to be net-zero : producing as much energy as it consumes.

We are working to share more about our environmental sustainability journey through this page as well as media outlets like Youth Environmental Press Team.

Environmental Equity

Detroit Horse Power recognizes that climate change is no longer a distant threat but a present reality, which is disproportionately burdening under-resourced communities like those we serve in Detroit. Communities like ours are also least likely to receive the resiliency investments that would mitigate the effects of a climate changing world. That's why we have worked to shrink our carbon footprint and demonstrate that green building practices belong in—and benefit—neighborhoods that have historically been overlooked. This commitment isn't just environmentally responsible; it's economically strategic. By having low or no utility bills, we increase our financial sustainability and free up critical resources that can expand our free youth programming.

Methodology

In order to achieve these goals, our partners at the Sustainability Institute of Detroit have guided our project through the thoughtful, science-based process shown below, followed by dedicated sections for eacg of the major components.

Tight Building Envelope

The conditioned spaces in our building are super-insulated, reducing heat loss in the winter and heat gain in the summer. We also used spray foam to eliminate air cracks (air infiltration rate) and thermal bridging throughout the building.

Geothermal Further Reduces Demand

By drilling wells deep underground, we can use the constant 55F temperature of the earth to help heat the building in the winter and cool it in the summer. Geothermal Innovations did a great job installing these systems in close coordination with our HVAC contractor, VRF.

Solar Meets Reduced Energy Demand

We have 80 high performance solar panels on the roof of our building. This array is sized to meet our expended energy demand. We are grateful to our partners at Strawberry Solar for working with our team on the design and installation of this critical infrastructure.

Future Energy Monitoring

While this sustainable future would not be possible without the hard work of our partners, we expect to carry this commitment through to the operations of our new building with regular reporting on our energy usage. Stay tuned for youth-led efforts to monitor the performance of our new building in the future.