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Housing
Residential Projects Push the Limits Economically and Creatively
If a home is the owner’s “castle” then the nearby rain garden is the moat, albeit a clean one. Lush plantings, rain gardens and open space are just one of the elements that set green residential projects apart. In a residential tower, it’s roof gardens and intense energy systems. It all starts with a committed development team, says Jeff Cox, vice president of site development at Triad Associates, Kirkland, Wash. “Some projects are a success because of the team, others rely on small details.”
Developers partner to make Vancouver Island: An Example or Sustainable Living
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Victoria, BC– Joe Van Belleghem, partner of Dockside Green and Jack Julseth, co-founder of Three Point Properties, announced last month that Three Point Properties has acquired an interest in the Dockside Green development.
Under the new arrangement, Van Belleghem will continue to manage Dockside Green with co-developer Vancity under a new division called Windmill West. In addition, Van Belleghem joins Three Point Properties as a partner and co-chair with Jack Julseth, with the goal to continue to develop Three Point Properties’ portfolio as leading examples of triple bottom line projects.
Three Point Properties co-founder Ross Tennant will remain as president of Three Point Properties.
The partnership was initiated mutually; Van Belleghem was looking to focus his expertise in sustainable building locally, and Three Point Properties was looking for a partner to help strengthen its presence in the triple bottom line development sector.
The Dockside Green Community may become the first LEED Platinum project in North America. A new device called the MACH-Stat(TM) lets residents monitor their carbon footprints from any room in the house.
Now being installed at Dockside Green's first building Synergy, opening early next year, the MACH-Stat(TM)controls room temperature as well as reports energy and water consumption. It monitors the weather outside, and even tracks residents' in-suite carbon footprint, daily and over time. Residents can also log onto the system over the Internet and see in real time their water and energy use and greenhouse gas emissions – literally watching their carbon footprint.
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The first of its kind on planet earth, it's a true homegrown success story. The MACH-Stat(TM) is manufactured by Victoria-based Reliable Controls Corporation, was customized for Dockside Green by Houle Controls in Victoria, and the graphics to make this sophisticated system easy for residents to use, were developed by Syscor Research & Development, also in Victoria.
Other sustainable features include:
• The centralized waste wood gasification plant will provide renewable heating for the development. Dockside Green is the first North American community development to be Green House Gas positive from an energy perspective.
• Sewage treatment is proceeding with 100% of all sewage to be treated on site.
• Heat will be recovered from the sewage
• No potable water will be used for flushing toilets, irrigation or water features.
• Projected potable water savings are 66.5%, or 70 million gallons of water per year following full build out (equivalent to entire region’s water use on driest day of the year).
• A naturalized approach to storm water treatment has been designed to handle a 100 year storm. The Municipal storm water system will not be utilized.
• Meters in each residential unit to measure hot and cold water, heat and electricity, ensuring that building occupants pay for what they use and eliminating free riders.
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