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.
![Living EmPower House,](/sites/default/files/inline-images/21199_N31_s111web.jpg)
![Living EmPower House,](/sites/default/files/inline-images/21199_N24_s111web.jpg)
![Living EmPower House,](/sites/default/files/inline-images/21199_N39_s111web.jpg)
Related Stories
| Dec 17, 2013
Nation's largest net-zero K-12 school among winners of 2013 Best of Green Schools award
The Lady Bird Johnson Middle School in Irving, Texas, was named a winner of USGBC's annual award, along with nine other schools, individuals and communities working toward the common goal of healthy, high-performing learning places.
| Dec 16, 2013
Irving, Texas building state’s second net-zero school
Lee Elementary School, scheduled to open in fall 2014, will be net-zero-ready, and if the school board decides to sell district bonds and allow the purchase of additional solar panels, will be a true net-zero facility.
| Dec 10, 2013
16 great solutions for architects, engineers, and contractors
From a crowd-funded smart shovel to a why-didn’t-someone-do-this-sooner scheme for managing traffic in public restrooms, these ideas are noteworthy for creative problem-solving. Here are some of the most intriguing innovations the BD+C community has brought to our attention this year.
| Dec 9, 2013
What is life cycle cost optioneering?
Life cycle cost optioneering is a way of assessing alternative design options, analyzing their long-term capital and operational costs to identify those with the lowest price tag, over the entire life cycle.
| Dec 9, 2013
Skaneateles, N.Y., converts old firehouse to net-zero village hall
The Finger Lakes village of Skaneateles, N.Y., renovated its vacant firehouse into Skaneateles Village Hall, the first municipal net-zero energy building in the state of New York.
| Dec 2, 2013
Security is key component of Army’s net-zero assessment strategy
For the U.S. Army, creating secure sources of energy is an important driver for its net zero goals. Critical military missions are at a high risk of failure in the event of an electric grid failure, according to a Defense Science Board report.
| Nov 27, 2013
LEED for Healthcare offers new paths to green
LEED for Healthcare debuted in spring 2011, and certifications are now beginning to roll in. They include the new Puyallup (Wash.) Medical Center and the W.H. and Elaine McCarty South Tower at Dell Children’s Medical Center of Central Texas in Austin.
| Nov 27, 2013
University reconstruction projects: The 5 keys to success
This AIA CES Discovery course discusses the environmental, economic, and market pressures affecting facility planning for universities and colleges, and outlines current approaches to renovations for critical academic spaces.
| Nov 25, 2013
New California codes moving state toward net-zero requirements
Under the new Title 24, all new residential construction must be net zero by 2020, with all new commercial buildings achieving this goal by 2030.
| Nov 22, 2013
Health Product Declaration Collaborative to develop protocol for third-party verification of HPDs
Seven leading product sustainability assessment companies partner with the HPD Collaborative to develop the verification and quality assurance protocols.