SALISHAN III EARNS LEED PLATINUM

Posted on January 25, 2011 by Edward Coulson

Tacoma Housing Authority (“THA”) celebrated the completion of the last phase of the ambitious HOPE VI redevelopment of its Salishan housing development on December 8, 2010. Phase III of New Salishan received a LEED Platinum certification, the only public housing authority development and the largest residential development of any sort in the nation to receive this designation. Completion of Phase III marks the achievement of one of THA’s major strategic objectives to develop and manage its properties to improve the local and global environment. 

Salishan’s LEED Platinum certification is just one of many awards received by THA for this ambitious project, some of which were previously reported on this blog. Phase III completes the over 1350 housing units in New Salishan of affordable and market rate rental housing, single family homes for sale, along with commercial and community buildings, and parks, all on a brand new infrastructure.

Phase III features a plethora of sustainable design and maintenance features. A bio infiltration swale system in the landscaping keeps 90% of storm water on site. Housing units feature ductless mini split heat pump HVAC systems, air barrier systems to tighten the unit envelope and reduce air infiltration, insulated foundations and increased unit insulation, windows with a U-factor of .26, low flow water fixtures, low VOC and no-added urea formaldehyde materials, and almost 100% hard surface flooring. 

In order to ensure Salishan’s sustainability and future energy saving performance, THA is also providing comprehensive training for property management staff and occupants to capture and maintain the designed energy improvements. In addition, each unit comes with a Tacoma Power “PayGo” meter. Each meter is connected to the internet, enabling occupants to see in near real time their actual energy consumption and costs. This allows residents to compare power usage from laundry day to an ordinary day, or the effects of using different appliances. 

Today, more and more owners, developers, and property managers (including the U.S. government) are realizing the importance of properly maintaining sustainable buildings to achieve their energy savings and sustainable benefits and instituting training programs and manuals to help owners, managers, and tenants learn correct maintenance procedures.

Congratulations to THA on completion of Phase III of New Salishan and its LEED Platinum certification.

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Cleaning Up (and Greening Up) the Mercer Mess

Posted on January 14, 2011 by Kelly Angell

If you live or work in Seattle, you probably know that after more than forty years of debate, construction is now underway to fix the notorious Mercer Mess. What may surprise you, though, is that the Mercer Corridor improvement project is considered to be a model of responsible development.

If you are unfamiliar with the Mercer Mess, it is a circuitous one-way route running east/west through the South Lake Union neighborhood, connecting Interstate 5 to Elliott Avenue West, and it carries over 80,000 people per day. Built in the 1950s as a temporary route, the corridor divides neighborhoods, hinders development and creates traffic congestion that not only clogs city streets but impacts the entire regional highway system. Fixing the Mercer Mess has been one of the City’s most significant transportation challenges for decades; but after breaking ground in September 2010, Phase I of construction to widen and improve the corridor is well underway.

Major transportation projects present a unique opportunity for cities to implement environmentally-friendly solutions on a large scale, and Seattle has risen to the challenge. In a recent Seattle Daily Journal of Commerce article, “Mercer Street: From a Mess to a Model of Sustainability,” Roger Mason and Angela Brady report that in addition to reducing congestion and increasing mobility, the Mercer Corridor project incorporates many notable sustainable elements such as:

  • A reduction in impervious area by 0.5 acres;
  • Natural drainage provided by a “wet median” and rain gardens;
  • Undergrounding utility lines;
  • The deconstruction, salvage and eventual re-use of a historic building;
  • A tree canopy along the corridor, including more than 260 trees, 10,000 shrubs and other landscaping;
  • Enhanced safety and accessibility for pedestrians and bicyclists; and
  • Public art installations.

Want to learn more? The Seattle Department of Transportation’s website has information on the planning process, project funding, construction updates and an overview of the entire project here.

 

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