Olson Court Park Plaza: Building energy efficiency into affordable housing

On the Northside of Minneapolis, the two buildings at Olson Court Park Plaza are part of a growing effort to provide affordable housing designed to serve residents while keeping long-term operating costs in check. James Miles, president of Miles & Associates, led a project giving these properties a total energy facelift: a high-performance building envelope with enhanced insulation, LED lighting throughout the building, ENERGY STAR heating appliances in each unit, rooftop solar serving the common areas, and electric vehicle charging infrastructure with capacity for future expansion.

Savings generated from this project are projected to offer long term operational stability, which is critical for delivering on Park Plaza’s mission of affordable housing. However, these long-term benefits are typically at the expense of a higher upfront project cost — one that Miles notes can be financially prohibitive for many developers, even if the returns are strong over time. He says it demonstrates the importance of clean energy incentives, like what Park Plaza used through the Minneapolis Green Cost Share program, to offset the upfront cost.

Using the Green Cost Share cost-match, alongside federal tax credits and utility incentives available through Xcel Energy, Miles was able to get nearly two-thirds of the cost of the 40kW solar array covered. 

And, as per the requirements of using the Green Cost Share incentive, Miles was required to meet Minnesota Housing Finance Agency energy standards for each of the units. But since the incentives were so significant when approaching the solar and the other unit upgrades they were considering, his team was able to consider higher-efficiency options that go beyond the baseline requirements. 

For affordable housing, those savings matter. And beyond the energy savings, residents have benefited from the project by living in more comfortable units, with better indoor air quality.

From Miles’ perspective, the value of the Green Cost Share program is clear: it strengthens the business case for clean energy upgrades that might otherwise be difficult to justify upfront. For property owners and developers, the incentive helps bridge the gap between sustainability goals and financial feasibility, particularly on projects serving low and moderate-income communities.

“It’s a great program, and I think it's very beneficial to the city of Minneapolis. I think it directly relates to more and better housing being built in the city.”

Olson Court Park Plaza proves that point. By pairing clean energy investments with thoughtful design and long-term planning, projects like this one demonstrate how Minneapolis can continue to build housing that works for the better.