|
Not only are homebuyers looking for efficient ways to save
money, but renters are too. MSV Irvine Property LLC
developed Main Street Village in Irvine, Calif., which
provides an "urban oasis" for its residents and is one of
Orange County's first green apartment complexes, with a
LEED Silver certification.
Construction for the multifamily project began in April
2007, and the first phase was released on March 1, 2009. With 481 green
units -- with three floor plan options -- for the community completed
in November 2009, 94 percent are currently leased. Rick Holcomb,
regional property manager for Lincoln Property Company, property
and construction manager for the project, reported that the community
targets a combination of young, urban professionals who desire a semiurban
lifestyle, in addition to some families and empty-nesters.
According to Al Zelaya, LEED AP BD+C, senior project manager for
Lincoln Property Company, the "premium" for building green consisted
of 1 percent of the total construction costs. With the environment in
mind, the four-story project reduced water and electrical consumption
and recycled over 50 percent of its demolition and construction waste.
Additionally, total building materials from the building comprised of 11.8
percent of recycled materials, while more than 52 percent of materials
used were manufactured within 500 miles of the site.
Main Street Village also provides reserved parking for residents with
low-emission vehicles, and the community also includes 38 "garden
patches," where residents can plant, grow, cultivate and harvest their
own vegetables, flowers and other plants, according to Holcomb. "In
turn it's given us the ability to focus resident events and functions with
gardening topics instead of the run of the mill cooking classes, wine
tasting events, and other events we always see offered."
Other sustainable measures for this development -- with existing
infrastructure surrounding -- include a high-reflective, energy-efficient
roof, an automated irrigation system that uses 100 percent recycled
water and drought-tolerant native plants and minimal turf grass. And the
LEED project's energy performance exceeded California's Title 24-2005
Energy Code by more than 17.5 percent.
|
However, satisfying the requirements of Environmental Quality
(EQ) Prerequisite 2: Environmental Tobacco Smoke (ETS) Control
presented unusual property constraints. "This residential project was
Type V construction, which meant it was far more challenging for the design
team to create an air-tight building envelope while managing the risks of moisture
accumulation," said Zelaya. "We researched the Certification Interpretation Requests
(CIR) filed with USGBC and found that we were eligible to use the tracer gas test method."
The senior project manager said this test was more accurate than the blower door test, and as an
extra precaution, they applied additional caulk to all wall penetrations in the units. "Our results were
impressive as we scored well below the minimum allowable threshold for the test," he continued.
RC Alley, the architect for Main Street Village, created a "Contemporary
California" architectural style by utilizing pitched roofs, tower elements and
varying heights of rock veneer at the building's base. To create additional
visual interest, the architect included stone, stucco, trellises and awnings
for the apartment project, which is planned in a "wrap-style configuration"
with units concealing the centrally-located parking structure.
As green building increases, Holcomb believes that recycled
materials, managing construction waste and non-harmful methods and
materials to the environment or occupants should become standard.
With advice for others building third-party certified homes, Zelaya
said, "It's important to decide early on registering your project. You
must also select the level of certification desired and guide the designer,
general contractor and property manager to achieve the credits necessary
to reach the stated goal." He continued, "Be prepared to make tough
choices based not just on initial cost but on the entire life of the system. You
may find that it in some cases it makes better sense to spend a little more now
to capture long-term savings."
Kristen Eichenmuller is the editor at Green Homebuilder magazine. She may be
contacted at keichenmuller@penpubinc.com.
|
