Long Term Asset Management Planning for Housing Security and Climate Stability: A Case Study of Decarbonization Roadmapping for Allston Brighton Community Development Corporation’s Affordable Multifamily Rental Housing Portfolio
Name
blacklow-aeb3-mcp-dusp-2026-thesis.pdf
Description
Thesis PDF
Size
17.27 MB
Format
Adobe PDF
Checksum (MD5)
3a38ee96c6ab65e6ece9a0f588e307a0
Author(s)
Blacklow, Arielle
Advisor(s)
Levine, Jeffrey Robert
Date Issued
February 2026
Publisher
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Abstract
In collaboration with the Allston Brighton Community Development Corporation (ABCDC),a Boston-based multifamily affordable housing provider pursuing net-zero emissions by2040, this project develops a mechanism and framework for portfolio decarbonizationroadmapping of existing residential housing assets. The research links decarbonizationplanning to equitable long-term asset management by aligning efforts of emissionreductions with housing affordability, capital needs, financial capacity, climate adaptation,accessibility compliance, and resident engagement. Grounded in real-world constraintsfaced by mission-driven affordable housing organizations, the study draws on practitionerinterviews, scenario planning, multi-criteria decision-making, and ABCDC’s experiencewith recent retrofit projects to develop actionable planning tools. The research producesadaptable property-level decarbonization planning dashboards that inform a dynamicportfolio-wide energy projection and tracking dashboard, providing user-friendly, data-driven mechanisms to support organizational decision-making. Through iterative scenarioanalysis, the thesis explores a combination of Zero over Time (ZOT) and SimultaneousEnergy Upgrade (SEU) strategies for ABCDC’s portfolio in order to balance energy,regulatory, cost, and logistical factors. The research also introduces a prioritizationmechanism for portfolios facing resource constraints and develops resident engagementframeworks to promote equitable and participatory decarbonization planning processes.The thesis contributes a practical bridge between technical decarbonization modeling andlong-term asset management planning while identifying key implementation challenges,including funding constraints, data limitations, and knowledge transmission barriers.Although reliant on a single case study, the framework developed through this thesis offers transferable insights for affordable housing providers seeking to disrupt the reinforcing
cycle between housing insecurity and climate instability.
MIT Department
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Urban Studies and Planning
Terms of Use
In Copyright - Educational Use Permitted
Copyright retained by author(s)
Persistent DSpace Link
