Living EmPower House, which is set to be the first zero-carbon, replicable, and equitable multifamily development designed for transactive energy, recently was awarded a $9 million Next EPIC Grant Construction Loan from the State of California.
The award will be combined with an additional $5 million in matching funds from the California Energy Commission. Design firm Studio One Eleven, which will design the project, secured a $1 million EPIC Grant for the research phase last year.
The mixed-use/mixed income development features two buildings that include office, retail, daycare, and 238 homes composed of 20% market-rate and 80% affordable units. The design includes a solar array capable of generating 1.39 gigawatt-hours annually and a 2.5 MWh battery storage system for energy independence.
The project in downtown Santa Ana, Calif., is located near multiple amenities. “The project uses cutting-edge energy technologies, tools and construction practices that will allow it to be affordable, equitable, emissions-free, and resilient to climate change impacts and extreme weather events,” according to a news release.
“This project is a replicable example for mixed-use development in the future, which is so crucial especially today when the US power grid is under such stress,” said Michael Bohn, AIA, partner and design director, Studio One Eleven.
The development is described as “prosumer”—a proactive energy consumer that can control the amount of energy consumed via a custom application.
Related Stories
Green | Jun 29, 2015
Rick Fedrizzi to step down as USGBC’s Chief Executive next year
Fedrizzi will be leaving an organization that has grown to 76 chapters. The Washington, D.C.-based USGBC employs 260 people, and last year reported $74.1 million in revenue.
Green | Jun 26, 2015
Training center for electricians in L.A. focuses on net zero technologies
Construction has begun Los Angeles County on what is being called the nation’s largest Net Zero Plus retrofit of a commercial building.
![6 steps toward better water management [AIA course]](/sites/default/files/styles/list_big/public/VanDusen513.026_grassfix_stairfix.jpg?itok=K8oOWak9 "6 steps toward better water management [AIA course]")
Green | Jun 24, 2015
6 steps toward better water management [AIA course]
When it comes to water conservation, Building Teams tend to concentrate on water-efficient plumbing fixtures, irrigation controls, graywater capture, and ways to recycle condensate from air-conditioning systems. Yet many of the best opportunities for saving water begin with big-picture thinking in a project’s earliest phases.
Green | Jun 19, 2015
3 steps toward sustainable landscape architecture
A water-conscious, sustainable landscape is easily achievable, and the options for native and drought tolerant plants far exceed cacti and succulents, writes LPA's Richard Bienvenu.
Green | Jun 18, 2015
‘Solar water’ poised as global solution
Strapped with both water and energy crises, several island nations are investing in solar-powered water plants to attain more resilient water and power sources.
Lighting | Jun 17, 2015
LED lighting: Replaceable or disposable?
While first generation LED lighting fixtures were basically your standard incandescent or fluorescent housing retrofitted with LED light boards, manufacturers have now begun designing fixtures around the LEDs, writes SmithGroupJJR's Michael Nowicki.
High-rise Construction | Jun 15, 2015
Cornell Tech breaks ground on world's first Passive House residential high-rise
To achieve Passive House standards, Cornell Tech Residential will incorporate a number of sustainability-focused design elements. The façade, constructed of a prefabricated metal panel system, acts as a thermally insulated blanket wrapping the building structure.
Green | Jun 10, 2015
GBCI launches rating system for sustainable landscapes
The new SITES rating system can be applied to development projects located on sites with or without buildings, ranging from national parks to corporate campuses, streetscapes and homes, and much more.
Green | Jun 9, 2015
Fuel cell technology makes its way into energy generation
Demand for fuel cells, while modest, is growing, and cost savings are getting noticed.
