As senior housing construction booms across the country, one senior living provider has decided to step boldly into the future and build the nation’s first LEED® Platinum certified modular communities.
Why is this important? Not only do these communities rank high in water and energy efficiency, but the sustainability baked into the design concept also provides the highest quality living conditions for residents.
Elite Care was awarded LEED® Platinum status for its two most recently constructed communities: Sylvan Park in Vancouver, Washington, and Oatfield Estates in Milwaukie, Oregon.
Certification is based on factors that include:
- A building’s location in relationship to transportation and infrastructure.
- Sustainability within the location’s own unique ecosphere.
- Water-usage efficiency.
- Energy-use efficiency.
- Indoor environmental air-quality.
- The materials and resources used in building construction.
Specific project features that helped Elite Care achieve its LEED® Platinum certification include:
- Rainwater collection and gray water use. Rainwater is collected and stored in underground retention tanks with pumps that supply gray water to all campus lavatories and community gardens.
- Low-flow showerheads and toilets were installed throughout to reduce water consumption.
- Tankless water heaters were installed to continually service radiant piping beneath the floor.
- Green building practices are featured in nearly every element of construction.
- Low-VOC carpeting and zero-VOC paint increase indoor air quality.
- Triple-pane windows and high R value insulation, 50% above code requirements, ensure resident comfort.
- ENERGY STAR® rated fans and appliances were installed to reduce energy consumption while creating a comfortable environment for residents.
- High-efficiency insulation reduces drafts and temperature fluctuation
- High-efficiency PTACs (packaged terminal air conditioners) were installed in individual rooms, allowing each resident to set the room temperature to their optimum comfort level.
“Elite Care is devoted to green building concepts and sustainability as a business model. All of our communities will be designed with this goal in mind moving forward. One of our core philosophies is to provide our residents an environment where they can live longer, happier, healthier lives,” said Jason Hess, Elite Care CEO.