Portland, MAINE – Pearl Place II, a 54-apartment affordable housing community in Portland’s Bayside neighborhood, was awarded LEED® Platinum certification by the U.S. Green Building Council® for achievement in green building and design. Pearl Place II is one of only a few multi-family buildings in the state to earn Platinum certification, the highest level in USGBC’s LEED for Homes program.
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Photo by Jennifer Capriola/East Shore Photography
The LEED green building certification program is the nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction and operation of green buildings. Pearl Place II is 22% more energy-efficient than standard buildings with similar characteristics. It earned high marks for the following features:
- Reuse and revitalization of a brownfield site and urban infill site, and proximity to community resources, including public transit (Maximum points earned in location category)
- A 68% reduction in water demand due to low-flow water fixtures, high-efficiency appliances and drought-resistant landscaping
- Panelized construction for efficient materials use
- Environmentally friendly and locally sourced building materials
- 85% diversion of construction waste
- Compartmentalization of units, which reduces air flow and optimizes HVAC performance
Other green features at Pearl Place II include an energy recovery ventilation system, high-efficiency boilers and solar panels on the roof to preheat domestic hot water.
“Pearl Place II continues our legacy of building sustainable, energy-efficient homes for Mainers,” said Avesta President and CEO Dana Totman. “Efficient buildings are more durable, cost less to operate and provide a safer, healthier place for our residents to live.”
The first phase of Pearl Place, which opened in 2008, won LEED Gold certification, and Avesta’s Oak Street Lofts, which opened in 2012, was the first multi-family affordable housing project in Maine to receive LEED Platinum certification.
PDT Architects designed Pearl Place II, while Wright-Ryan Construction served as the general contractor. Thornton Tomasetti was the LEED for Homes provider, and Horizon Maine conducted performance testing and green inspections.
Other project team members include: Bennett Engineering (mechanical, electrical and plumbing engineering), Becker Structural Engineers (structural engineering), Woodard and Curran (civil engineering) and Carroll Associates (landscape architecture).
Pearl Place II opened in January 2013, the culmination of Avesta Housing’s decade-long efforts to contribute to the revitalization of the Bayside neighborhood with the creation at least 100 new housing units. Pearl Place II provides one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments to individuals and families making 50% and 60% of the area median income.
For more about Pearl Place II, visit http://www.avestahousing.org/properties/64/Pearl-Place-II.
About Avesta Housing
For more than 40 years, Avesta Housing has provided and advocated for affordable housing. An award-winning agency, Avesta has grown to become the largest nonprofit developer in northern New England and one of the country’s most innovative leaders in affordable housing. Avesta manages a portfolio of more than 1,900 apartments in 31 Maine communities including Portland, Windham, Saco, Rockland and Kennebunk.
Contact:
Mindy Woerter, Communications Manager
207-553-7780 x.212
mwoerter@avestahousing.org
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