Green is going mainstream, according to the cover of this month’s Dwell magazine. And as more residential homebuilders, architects and buyers begin to look toward sustainable building, the South residences are already being created and delivered as responsible, eco-built communities.
This is a great statement and commitment for residents, as they are having a positive impact on the environment and planet at large. But beyond this, there are also tangible benefits from this eco-focus, which have a direct impact on the living spaces at South. Within the micro-environment of each home, we use many sustainable materials and elements that work to create a healthier living environment. This “healthy home” comes from many things included throughout the buildings and residences at South, such as Low-VOC paints that dramatically increase interior air-quality.
These components make your home and the environment a better place. They also put it at the forefront of the green revolution. Welcome to the future.
Green living spaces are the envy of new urban dwellers. And Elleven, Luma and Evo are setting the standard for green living and sustainable building in downtown Los Angeles. In fact, these three buildings are literally putting South Park on the green map. The LA Green Map, that is.
The Los Angeles chapter of the American Institute of Architects just published the LA Metro Green Map, an urban dweller’s map to green locations in downtown Los Angeles.
And right there, in the heart of South Park, Elleven, Luma and Evo are listed as Eco Buildings – the only new-construction eco buildings in all downtown, at that!
The LA Metro Green Map is a great companion for downtown residents, with comprehensive listings of the city’s green points of interest and buildings.
You can learn more about the Green Map at greenmap.org.
After opening their first store here more than a century ago, Ralph’s is making a grand return to downtown. The new supermarket is nearly finished and is scheduled to open in early 2007 at 9th & Flower.
The new 50,000-square-foot store will be neighbored by a Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, Cold Stone Creamery, Quiznos Sub and The UPS Store. All just steps away from the residences at South.
It’s exciting to see the continued growth of the neighborhood and the increasing retail throughout the area, including the very first Starbucks in South Park, soon to open right here at 11th & Grand!
The finish and the beginning. Elleven has been finished, and the owners, who have already begun their new life at Elleven, are now running the homeowner’s association.
At street level, Starbucks started construction on their space on August 7. A few doors down, the new salon is expected to start construction shortly. We are also working with the City of Los Angeles to begin installing the signs and parking meters on Grand Avenue and 11th Street so that owners, guests and retail tenants will soon have access to more street parking.
Luma
Next door, Luma construction continues at a strong pace. The second crane is up and running on the 4th floor deck and on August 7, the construction team hosted a “half-way up” party celebrating the mid-point of vertical construction on Luma.
As the silhouette of this beautiful and slender tower takes shape, we are beginning to have a glimpse of the future. Modern living spaces and amenities, shared spaces, retail and community. True urban living and a truly special place.
To the south of Elleven is Evo, the third and grandest of The South Group's projects. Construction here has been under way for months now. The ground floor is just now formed, setting the stage for the concrete work on the tower portion of the project. At the north side of the site we are underpinning the Elleven project and the electrical vault that supplies electricity to all three projects. The newest South Group crane is also going up on the Evo site, which will again increase the exceptional pace and progress at South.
This month, we’d like to introduce you to Renee Worme of Gerding Edlen Development, one of the development partners in The South Group and a leader in green building.
South: Renee, what is your current role for The South Group?
RW: As sustainability manager, I manage a small but growing department of green building experts internally, and work closely with a third-party LEED consultant who coordinates the LEED certification paperwork for all of our projects.
South: Tell us about your background. How did you become a green expert?
RW: It’s been a winding road, mostly on the job exposure. I studied political science in college, receiving a BA in international relations with a minor in both international Economics and French from the American University of Paris. I then started working at Gerding Edlen Development (one of the partners in The South Group), and have been here 10 years now.
South: What have been some of your accomplishments in the green arena?
RW: Becoming a LEED-Accredited Professional at the time I did (back in 2002) was quite an accomplishment, given that I have no architectural or engineering background – everything I have learned, I have learned hands-on by being involved in the process.
As for the team, we have many green accomplishments. We have the second LEED Gold high-rise residential building in the country. We currently have three LEED Platinum contender projects, two of which should be certified yet this year. And we have a total of 27 projects seeking LEED certification.
We have also incorporated some very innovative technologies into our buildings – UV panels in sunshades, eco-roofs, rainwater harvesting and re-use for irrigation, preserving historic buildings, reusing materials salvaged during demolition and being the first to develop mixed-use high-rise residential LEED buildings in downtown L.A. I could keep going but the point is that we continue to challenge ourselves and be inspired by what we see in other parts of the country and the world.
South: What are some of the eco/green initiatives your company is undertaking, aside from building?
RW: Gerding Edlen has an extremely innovative alternative transportation program, where employees are eligible for bicycle and transit-pass subsidies. The purchase of a new hybrid/fuel-efficient vehicle is nearly entirely paid for under this program. We recycle aggressively, have a composting receptacle in our kitchen, purchase ENERGY STAR equipment (all employees have efficient flat screen monitors), purchase recycled-content office supplies whenever possible. We offset the CO2 emissions associated with our work-related travel company-wide by purchasing carbon offset credits. We are pursuing LEED certification for our headquarters office expansion and will do so for our new L.A. office as well. We are also working on developing project-wide green power purchase programs.
South: Tell us about Elleven, Luma and Evo. What are the real differences in these buildings compared to other residences in the area? What makes them so green?
RW: Elleven, Luma and Evo are seamlessly integrated; creating a 24/7 live/work/play environment that is pedestrian-friendly and yet extremely urban. Our vision is to revitalize the downtown area, where excellent transit supports high-density, mixed-use development. People who live at South can get around the city easily, saving themselves from extensive travel times, saving the money associated with owning and driving a car, and know that they are benefiting the environment by decreasing vehicle-related CO2 emissions.
The buildings themselves were built with a conscious effort to use less raw materials, use less energy than typical buildings, providing better indoor air quality and reduce the waste streams both during construction and during operation. Their LEED certification is just one part of an integrated strategy to ensure a higher quality and healthier living experience.
South: Can you tell us more about LEED? What is it and why is it important?
RW: LEED stands for “Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design.” It focuses on five categories – site, water, energy, materials, indoor air quality and innovative strategies not addressed in those categories – and awards projects a credit for successfully meeting thresholds associated with points within each category. Projects receive a Certified, Silver, Gold or Platinum rating depending on the number of total credits attained.
We feel LEED is important as a performance yardstick because it is a third-party green building verification system. It prevents “green-washing,” or overstatements about green features owners or developers may too easily make otherwise. We support LEED because it is in line with our corporate philosophy of giving back to the communities in which we live, while making this world a better place for future generations and ourselves. It also makes good business sense; the economic paybacks associated with investments in energy efficiency are there.
South: Well, the future looks greener already. Thanks for your time Renee, and we look forward to experiencing green living first hand at South.
As the preferred lender for all of The South Group residences, Chase Home Finance is able to offer our buyers exclusive programs as well as expert service and a depth of knowledge in financing high-rise condominium homes.
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