Environmentally Responsible Concepts Catching on With Residential Developments
A massive North County community development project is anxiously waiting to hear if it has been awarded the most prestigious environmentally correct label a builder can earn.Del Sur, a planned community being built near Rancho Penasquitos and Rancho Santa Fe, has already won several regional green awards, and an educational facility on the property is in line for the highest level of certification by the U.S. Green Building Council for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design.
The voluntary building certification program defines high-performance green buildings, which are designed as environmentally responsible, healthy and profitable structures, based on five categories: sustainable sites, water efficiency, energy and atmosphere, materials and resources, and indoor environmental quality.
The Ranch House at Del Sur, an educational facility open to San Diego residents, may become the county’s first platinum-rated LEED building and serve as the benchmark for green-building practices.
Only a handful of projects have earned the U.S. Green Building Council’s top honor in California.
Bill Dumka, senior vice president of Black Mountain Ranch LLC, the master developer of Del Sur, said he anticipates preliminary review results to be presented in the next few weeks and final results from their application announced in April or May.
The Ranch House at Del Sur incorporates recycled and renewable materials such as a fireplace built with stones collected from the site, ceiling trusses crafted from recycled beams at an old pier in Portland, reclaimed flooring harvested from a barn in Pennsylvania, insulation made of old blue jeans, countertops made from compressed sunflower husks and cabinets made from wheat.
“Part of our objective is that the Ranch House be a showcase for the kinds of features that constitute sustainable building,” Dumka said. “We hope to educate, set the example for builder and homebuyers.”Dumka said environmental and energy-saving improvements aren’t the only benefits.
“The single biggest benefit is community pride and community identity,” Dumka said.
When completed, Del Sur will contain nearly 3,000 single-family and multifamily units near Camino Del Sur in North San Diego, located south of Santa Fe Valley and adjacent to Fairbanks Ranch and Rancho Penasquitos.
The Del Sur project has set the eco-friendly standards high, according to promotional materials, by incorporating on-site recycling efforts during construction that include energy conservation, water-saving techniques and use of renewable materials.
The project is also touted for its use of solar energy systems and tankless water heaters, which reduce utility bills.
Article by MICHELLE MOWAD, courtesy of San Diego Business Journal
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