As we noted in our July Giants 300 Report, multifamily construction, especially apartment buildings, has been the “darling” of the real estate industry in the last couple of years—and sustainably designed projects are contributing to that boom, even in places you might not think of finding them.
In Portland, Maine, the Oak Street Lofts have become the first affordable multifamily housing to earn LEED Platinum certification in the Pine Tree State. Designed by CWS Architects, the 37 artist-friendly efficiency apartments are 40% more energy efficient than the typical multifamily building. Wright-Ryan Construction (GC) diverted more than 60% of construction waste from landfill.
Thornton Tomasetti/Fore Solutions, acting as sustainability/LEED for Homes consultant, used energy modeling to analyze window glazing types, solar thermal water heating, and a heat-recovery ventilation system, along with envelope design to improve thermal breaks at the exterior wall.
In Panama City, Fla., Hardin Construction teamed with Chap Ashmore & Associates and architect Martin Riley Associates on the 92-unit Panama Commons, the first family-oriented affordable housing community in the Southeast to earn Platinum in the LEED for Homes program.
This was the twelfth project Hardin Construction has completed for the Paces Foundation. Hardin also constructed Galleria Manor, an 88-unit seniors-housing complex in Smyrna, Ga., and Whitehall Manor, in Cleveland, Ga., for the nonprofit housing development corporation. Both projects earned LEED Gold.
Green multifamily developments are also sprouting up in more traditional locales. In New York, construction is under way at 211 East 13th Street on an eight-story condominium development designed by BKSK Architects. The 110,000-sf, 83-unit tower, designed to LEED Silver standards, features a stormwater filtration system—considered unusual for an urban project—and both a blue roof (to store rainwater) and a green vegetated roof to relieve the overtaxed sewer system. +
Related Stories
Sports and Recreational Facilities | Jun 27, 2019
Foster + Partners unveils design of wooden boathouse for Row New York
The project will sit on the banks of the Harlem River in Sherman Creek Park.
Building Tech | Jun 26, 2019
Modular construction can deliver projects 50% faster
Modular construction can deliver projects 20% to 50% faster than traditional methods and drastically reshape how buildings are delivered, according to a new report from McKinsey & Co.
Architects | Jun 24, 2019
Clayco combines architecture and design assets into one business unit
Lamar Johnson Collaborative adds BatesForum.
Architects | Jun 14, 2019
Making public facilities more public
Municipal facilities must strike a delicate balance between openness and security.
Architects | Jun 4, 2019
Big design, small budget: These are the best small projects for 2019
Bjarke Ingels Group's prototype mountainside cabin and Fieldwork's forest pedestrian bridges are among 12 projects honored by AIA's Small Project Practitioners group.
Architects | Apr 26, 2019
Designing for the final frontier: Space architecture
Colonizing Mars is an exciting possibility in the not-too-distant future, and architects will play a vital role in making it a reality, despite the plethora of challenges that need to be overcome.
Architects | Apr 12, 2019
Bipartisan 'Invest in America Act' gains industry support
The bill would attract as much as $125 billion investment for buildings, infrastructure.
Office Buildings | Apr 8, 2019
It’s time for office amenities to get to work
Amenities with the greatest impact on effectiveness and experience are those that directly support the work needs of individual employees and their teams.
Industry Research | Apr 8, 2019
New research finds benefits to hiring architectural services based on qualifications
Government agencies gain by evaluating beyond price, according to a new Dodge survey of government officials.
