Pavilion in the “LEED”
LEED Platinum Villa Alegre Apartments, NM
Pavilion Construction Press Release 7.21.11 – For immediate release
In this day and age more and more construction projects are becoming environmentally conscientious. Pavilion Construction is taking the bull by the horns. Recently, Pavilion proudly announced the grand opening of the Villa Alegre Apartments in Santa Fe, NM. The 111 unit wood frame housing community is to achieve
LEED Platinum status, and is one of the first residential public housing communities in New Mexico to do so.
LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) is an internationally recognized third party entity that promotes a whole-building approach to sustainability. LEED measures and verifies that a building or community is designed and built implementing practical green building design, construction, operations and maintenance solutions with the main goal to maximize energy savings, reduce C02 emissions, and improve indoor environmental quality during construction and final occupancy. Depending on how many energy efficient and waste management solutions are in effect, a score is awarded accordingly. Site selection and appropriate use of the landscape (previously undeveloped land or land threatening endangered species is discouraged), the types of materials used (rapidly renewable resources and environmentally preferred products is encouraged), and installation of energy efficient appliances all have bearing on whether or not a project receives a status of
LEED Certified, Silver, Gold, or Platinum.
The Villa Alegre Apartments is scheduled to attain the highest LEED status, LEED Platinum. In the case of the Villa Alegre Apartments environmentally preferred products, materials and construction methods were utilized wherever possible. Paints, caulking and other construction materials with low volatile organic rating were used. The project site is on previously developed land with community resources within walking distance. The landscape is constructed with drought tolerant plants and zoned drip-irrigation system. 75% of all waste including concrete, wood, aluminum, gypsum, paper, plastic, steel and other metals were all recycled throughout the duration of construction.
The building envelope incorporates high efficiency insulation and is Green Guardian and Floor Score Certified. The windows and sliders have been installed with fiberglass frames, (fiberglass expands and contracts at the same rate as glass and is highly durable in extreme temperatures, proving a better insulator compared to other substitute materials). The unique geothermal ground source heating and cooling system will allow residents to expend 40% -70% less energy than conventional heating systems. To further save residents in utilities and wasted energy, Photovoltaic Solar (PV) Panels will ideally assist in powering nearly 40% of all consumed electricity. The Villa Alegre Apartments have gone through and passed numerous crucial Home Energy Rating System (HERS) inspections ensuring all “green” amenities are properly in place and functioning to their highest potential.
A final component to the LEED process includes the proper training of tenants and managers. The LEED for Homes rating system acknowledges that a building is only truly “green” if the people who live in it use its green features to maximum effect. Operation manuals and a one-hour mandatory walk through will be given to each tenant and manager before occupancy.
It must be understood that LEED-certified buildings are not only designed to cut down operating costs, reduce waste sent to landfills, conserve water and energy, and reduce harmful green house emissions, but they are also designed to give residents a safer and healthier place to live. The Villa Alegre public housing community will be sure to provide just that.
To find out more about LEED, or the United States Green Building Council, visit
http://www.usgbc.org/
For more information related to this story contact:
Kevin Abbott, kabbott@pavilionconstruction.com
Pavilion Construction
6720 SW Macadam Avenue,Suite 310
Portland, Oregon 97219
P: 503-290-5005 F: 503-244-1810 www.pavilionconstruction.com