Senior Housing and Assisted Living

E3 Building Sciences recently announced that it has been chosen to provide assistance in certifying the a new mid-rise project for the 87-unit Lil Abner Apartments in Miami to meet LEED standards set by the U.S. Green Building Council’s (USGBC).  Developer Consolidated Real Estate Investment of Miami selected Burgos Lanza Architects & Planners of Miami provide the initial design of the five-story building. The project team hopes to break ground this year and eventually achieve LEED Silver Certification.

"I think there are a lot of beneficial aspects to it," explained Carlos Lanza, project architect, regarding the new LEED for Mid-Rise program. "You’re doing your part to conserve the Earth’s resources. You’re being conscious of the environment and I think that’s a step forward."

The Lil Abner Apartments, located on a 4.65 acre site, will be built to the ASHRAE 90.1 Standard, a national commercial building benchmark for improved energy consumption in buildings. The energy and water efficient units will provide residents with lower monthly household expenses for a more comfortable lifestyle.

"Seniors are often on fixed incomes and a LEED Certified Home will help buffer their household finances from rising electric and water bills while better indoor air quality through fresh air ventilation should help reduce airborne illnesses," said Ben Millar, Business Development Director at E3 Building Sciences.

Jack Satter House, a supportive housing community for 300 low-income seniors in Revere, Massachusetts announced that it has received a $4 million grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) as part of its new Green Retrofit Program for Multifamily Housing.  The grant, which is the first of its kind in New England, will fund infrastructure upgrades and other retrofits to reduce utility costs by approximately 25 percent, cut water consumption, and improve indoor air quality. Jack Satter House is sponsored by Boston-based nonprofit Hebrew SeniorLife, a leader in geriatric health care, research, teaching and housing, and an affiliate of Harvard Medical School.

“Not only will this grant result in significant energy efficiency improvements and cost savings at Jack Satter House, it will serve as a model for how other organizations can incorporate sustainable, green building elements to create environmentally friendly communities,” said Len Fishman, CEO of Hebrew SeniorLife.

The one-year improvement project will include a variety of retrofits, including installation of EnergyStar-rated refrigerators and air conditioners, replacement of old boilers with new high-efficiency condensing boilers, installation of a combined heat and power electric co-generation plant, upgraded energy efficient lighting, low-flow aerators, shower heads and toilets, and the use of non-toxic paints, adhesives and sealants throughout. The renovation will enhance the quality of life for residents, increase energy efficiency, and generate approximately $180,000 in annual utility savings.

Hebrew SeniorLife was awarded grant funding through a highly competitive process from a pool of 769 applicants. HUD officials reviewed a variety of project criteria, including financial feasibility and the building’s physical condition, before allocating the $250 million in available Green Retrofit Program funds nationwide.

“This funding will not only improve the quality of life for the residents of Jack Satter House, but will lower energy costs and create quality green jobs at the same time,” said HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan. “This is an example of the kind of long-term, fundamental impact the Recovery Act is having on America’s economy through clean energy investments.”

American DG Energy Inc. (NYSE Amex: ADGE) announced that it has entered into a fifteen-year agreement to produce energy at Fuller Village in Massachusetts with its on-site energy solution.  The solution produces clean, low cost energy in the form of electricity and space heating at Fuller Village and sells it to the independent living community at a price lower than the local energy utility. The community pays only for the energy that is used and avoids all capital, installation, operation and maintenance costs as American DG Energy owns and services the equipment.  The energy is produced with small-scale, combined heat and power (CHP) equipment located at the property site and the system will reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 244 tons of carbon dioxide each year, the equivalent of planting 67 acres of trees or eliminating the emissions of 42 cars.

Friends Homes Inc. (Friends), a continuing care retirement community (CCRC) operator in North Carolina, recently announced a partnership with FLS Energy for installation of 208 solar thermal collector panels in its two continuing care retirement communities, Friends Homes at Guilford and Friends Homes West.  As one of the largest ever installed solar thermal systems in a retirement community in the United States, the project will create 10,000 gallons of solar heated water each day for nine of Friends Homes’ buildings and facilities.   The solar thermal facilities will be roof mounted to the selected facilities requiring about 12,480 sq. ft. of roof space and will reduce carbon emissions by almost 150 tons per year and will save approximately $30,000.00 per year in fossil fuel cost. Construction is slated to begin in April with completion projected for September.  FLS Energy is financing the solar thermal project at Friends Homes through its Solar Energy Purchase Agreement.

The solar project, which will be metered, comes with a “performance guarantee” from FLS Energy of the amount of solar energy that will be generated each year. Duke Energy is purchasing renewable energy credits from this solar energy system to meet North Carolina’s renewable energy mandates. FLS Energy will also be responsible for all maintenance of the system. Completion of the solar hot water project in September will establish Friends Homes as one of the most sustainable continuing care retirement communities in the United States.

Wilson Sheldon, CEO, of Friends Homes Inc., said, “It is our belief that we must reduce the consumption of fossil fuels. Installing these solar thermal units in our retirement communities means taking a major step in our commitment to utilizing renewable energy. Not only do we want to be good stewards of the environment, but also, we are looking for ways to contain costs so that our communities remain affordable.”

“This project will establish Friends Home as one of the strongest leaders in North Carolina for developing clean renewable energy for their facilities,” said FLS Energy’s Finance Director, Brownie Newman. “Friends Homes paid nothing upfront and will begin seeing the savings immediately.”