Page 21 - Designing for Zero Carbon-Volume 2_Case Studies of All-Electric Multifamily Residential Buildings

IVY SENIOR APARTMENTS
CASE STUDY NO. 1
Design Process and Low-Energy, Zero-Carbon Design Strategies
Early in 2018, the architect and engineering firms were solely and separately invited to submit proposals for the project, which included an initial study for the building program and conceptual design. The invitations were extended based on the firms’ previous work and reputation. The design and approval process took place during 2018-2019 and construction began in 2020, with occupancy beginning in the fall of 2021.
Fundamental to the project planning was the design requirement of a low-energy, all-electric building. Now adopted as general policy for all their housing developments, the all-electric ap- proach was required by Wakeland for a number of reasons. For formerly-homeless seniors, who often have chronic health issues, indoor air quality is a particular concern. Gas space heating, water heating and appliances present certain risks in this regard.6 In addition, the global issue of decarbonization of their housing stock has become a principal policy determinant for Wakeland. Indeed, the design team was selected based on their proven expertise in the design of ZNE and zero carbon buildings (operationally).
Building Program
The pre-design phase of the project involved development of a building program and a con- ceptual design for the selected site. Given the site geometry and other constraints, the concept design maximized the number of studio apartments for the elderly clientele, while providing the number of parking spaces required by the planning code. In addition, there were requirements for certain administrative spaces, a health services suite and common spaces.
The designers managed to develop a plan that provided 52 studio apartments (plus one two- bedroom apartment for the on-site manager) on the small site, all of which are ADA and Cali- fornia Title 24 Accessibility code compliant, and 16 parking spaces for staff and visitors. Local zoning limited the total number of units to 33, but an exception was made for this project per California’s Density Bonus Law/AB 2162.
Because of the triangular shape of the site and the mandated height limit, the building is a three- story structure consisting of three wings surrounding a central outdoor space. The common areas are all located at ground level.
There is a reception space with mailboxes near the main entry, along with the administrative of- fice and health service facilities. Shared common areas include a large meeting room, equipped for cooking and kitchen services as well as A/V programs, and a large laundry room. Since the domestic hot water system for the entire building is centralized, the storage tanks and pumps are located next to this common laundry room and away from the other common shared spaces.
Site Constraints
The triangular site is bounded on two sides by large suburban shopping centers, with one of these sides facing the rear of the stores and their loading docks. The third side, running along the long southern boundary on Mt. Alifan Drive, is decidedly the most pleasant, facing well- landscaped homes of the adjacent neighborhood. Site access is only possible from this sloping southern side, but easily planned at the southwest corner of the site.
6 See: https://ww2.arb.ca.gov/resources/documents/combustion-pollutants-indoor-air-quality See also: B. Seals and A. Krasner, “Gas Stoves: Health and Air Quality Impacts and Solutions”, RMI (2020), https://rmi.org/insight/gas-stoves-pollution-health/
Designing for Zero Carbon: Volume 2
(Following Pages) The site plan and floor plans of Ivy Se- nior Apartments are shown on the following pages.
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