As the population continues to age rapidly the need for healthy, energy efficient senior living continues to grow. Eliseo, which provides independent or assisted living for seniors, made the decision to construct two new buildings with a total of 91 units in their existing complex located in Tacoma. These two new buildings both obtained a Built Green 4-Star certification on the 2017 new construction multifamily checklist using a variety of different green building strategies.

During the design and permitting phases of the project, the project team engaged with the verification team to ensure the project’s success by planning and brainstorming the credits they wanted to obtain throughout the checklist and changing specs as needed to align with their goals and vision. One example was finding the right drought-tolerant grass that would blend with the pre-existing landscaping and not create a stark visual contrast. Together the whole team was able to find the right mixture!

Other credits that were claimed to obtain certification was the use of low flow plumbing fixtures to minimize water used within the building; ductless mini-splits and Energy Star appliances to keep energy costs down; and low VOC products with indoor air-quality certifications to keep tenants safe and healthy.

In addition to the above-mentioned green building features, the project also utilized a lot of water management strategies. With the help of a building envelope consultant, they applied drainage mats around the foundation, fluid-applied doors and window flashing along with back dams, taped seams on their WRB, and installed a rainscreen under their siding. All these features were able to help them to obtain low air-barrier test scores (0.154 & 0.151CFM/SF @ 75Pa) that will not only result in lower energy bills but will ensure the building stays dry throughout the years to come.

While this Built Green certification is one of the first for the City of Tacoma, there is an expectation and hope that many more will follow as buyers and residents begin to recognize the value in sustainable building – not only economically through energy reduction, but also for their health and the wellbeing of the planet.

Juanita Farmhouse cottages, built by John Buchan Homes, accomplished just that. Comprising nine new cottages and a common house/barn that includes a guest apartment, it achieved both Built Green 5-Star and Built Green Communities certifications in 2018.

Built Green Highlights

Site and Water

The cottage development wraps beautifully around a central garden court, with generous porches and the common house helping create a sense of community. Many existing trees were carefully maintained and included in the final landscape, which features walkways, benches, and a terrace in front of the common house.

The common house includes a barn-like garage, a community room, and a kitchen off the large porch. The shared guest apartment is available to all community owners.

The site is provided with infiltration swales for roof water drainage that are integrated with native and drought-tolerant landscaping, utilizing all pervious surfaces except for part of the shared driveway. Indoor water use is reduced by the use of low flow fixtures and WaterSense toilets.

Energy Efficiency

The cottage homes are conventionally framed with enhanced insulation and ground-source heat pumps for top tier energy efficiency. Other energy efficiency features include:

• Walls are blown-in blanket (BIBs) R 23
• Windows are double-pane low-e argon units with .27 u value
• Ground-source heating and cooling for best-in-class energy efficiency
• Duct system pressure tested for very low leakage
• Low-flow devices on sink and shower fixtures
• ENERGY STAR appliances and 80 percent LED lighting

Because of the trees, not all of the homes have good solar access. The two cottages at the south east corner of the site are wired as “solar ready.”