Brooks + Scarpa Architects has designed the Cherokee Mixed-Use Lofts in Los Angeles, California, USA.

The building is inspired by the series of paintings by the British artist Patrick Hughes titled, "Perspectivity", whose paintings appear to be ever changing and physically moving while being viewed.  At Cherokee the main architectural feature of this project is the building's owner-controlled operable double façade system.

Brooks + Scarpa Architects

+ Project description by Brooks + Scarpa

Cherokee Mixed-Use Lofts is an urban infill, mixed-use, market-rate housing project. The building is inspired by the series of paintings by the British artist Patrick Hughes titled, "Perspectivity", whose paintings appear to be ever changing and physically moving while being viewed.  At Cherokee the main architectural feature of this project is the building's owner-controlled operable double façade system.  By allowing the occupant to adjust, at will, the operable screens of the building façade, the facade is virtually redesigned "live" from within the space, reflecting the occupants of the building within, in real time. The screens also enhance the existing streetscape and promote a lively pedestrian environment. By visually breaking up the façade into smaller articulated moving elements, the building appears to move with the passing cars and people. In effect, it becomes a live canvas to be painted upon daily or more often. Like many features of the building, the façade is multivalent and rich with meaning performing several roles for formal, functional and experiential effect.

The perforated anodized aluminum panels of the building creates an ever- changing screen that sparkles in the sun and glows at night, while simultaneously providing shade to cool the building, reducing noise, enhancing privacy, and still allowing for spectacular views, great natural light and ventilation from ocean breezes which pass through its millions of perforations even when all panels are closed. The material reappears as a strategic arrangement of screens on the east, west and south-facing walls, lending a subtle rhythm to the exterior circulation. South-facing screen walls filter direct sunlight that lends unexpected visual depth while creating a sense of security for the occupants. Enhancing the structure's geometric texture, the irregular array of moveable openings variably extrudes from the building's surface. Its unique architectural form and integrated function creates a high-performing building that is an expression of the people who live there and the environmental and cultural context in which it is built.

Cherokee is the first LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Platinum (pending) Certified building in Hollywood and is the first LEED Platinum Certified mixed-use or market rate multi-family building in Southern California. The building distinguishes itself from most conventionally developed projects in that it incorporates energy efficient measures that exceed standard practice, optimize building performance, and ensure reduced energy use during all phases of construction and occupancy. The planning and design of Cherokee Lofts emerged from close consideration and employment of passive design strategies. These strategies include: locating and orienting the building to control solar cooling loads; shaping and orienting the building for exposure to prevailing winds; shaping the building to induce buoyancy for natural ventilation; designing windows to maximize day lighting; shading south facing windows and minimizing west-facing glazing; designing windows to maximize natural ventilation; utilizing low flow fixtures and storm water management; shaping and planning the interior to enhance daylight and natural air flow distribution. These passive strategies alone make this building more than 40% more efficient than California Title 24 and a conventionally designed similar structure.

The development pays homage to the significant musical and Hollywood history of Cherokee Recording Studios, MGM Studios before it, and all the artists who recorded music on the site, from Frank Sinatra to David Bowie to Dave Matthews.

Building Basics

Cherokee Lofts consists of 12 market-rate lofts and 2800 square feet of retail space. The building is 5 stories including 1 underground level of parking, first floor retail and parking, three floors of lofts on floors 2 through 4 and a rooftop deck and green roof.

The lofts units range in size from 1,000 square feet to 2,000 square feet. Seven of the lofts are two-story town homes perched 30 to 50 feet above street level. The living space consists of a state of the art kitchen, great room, bathroom, and home recording studio or office on the 4th floor, 38 feet above street level to maximize city skyline views, daylight, and energy efficiency. Three of the lofts have 17-foot high ceilings with mezzanines and open to a lushly landscaped courtyard. Finally, two loft flats have 10-foot high ceilings, also opening to the landscaped courtyard.

The building is located at 751 N. Fairfax, just north of Melrose right around the corner from the increasingly popular Melrose Heights Fashion District. It also borders West Hollywood and is ¾ mile from the center of the Sunset Strip.

Sustainable Highlights

Cherokee is 40% more energy efficient than California's Title 24, the most demanding energy code in the United States.

Advanced VFR Cooling and Heating Comfort System, which was used in Canada's new 2010 Olympic Village, cools and warms floors, ceilings, and walls to create a perfectly temperate environment better for respiratory systems, skin, overall health, comfort and energy efficiency.

Passive solar design strategies and proper building orientation, using the central courtyard between the two residential structures, allows for day lighting on both sides of every unit and shading, while allowing prevailing breezes to fully pass through the units for natural ventilation.

Green Roof provides greenery for occupants to enjoy while keeping the building better insulated, cleaning the air, and reducing storm water runoff.

Water Conservation is accomplished with dual flush toilets, efficient plumbing fixtures, hot water circulators, and drought tolerate landscaping.  All  stormwater runoff is collected in a underground retention basin located in the public right-of-way, the first such stormwater system in the city of Los Angeles.

A 30kw PV solar system powers all common area electrical loads and approximately 11.5% of the heating and hot water needs for the building.

The building is located within walking distance to many neighborhood community needs and services and scores "Walker's Paradise" (94 out of 100) on walkscore.com

Green Materials and Products are used throughout that are recycled, renewable, and contain low or  no VOC's.

Cherokee Mixed-Use Lofts
DOE High Performance Building Database

Overview

• Location: Los Angeles, CA
• Building type: Market rate Multi-unit residential
• New construction
• 32,000 sq. ft. (60 units/acre)
• Project scope: 5-story building over subterranean parking garage.  Ground floor consists of a residential lobby, commercial retail space and parking.  Units are organized on the second-fifth floors around a central exterior courtyard.
• Urban setting
• Completed May 2010
• Climate Region: 3C Warm-Marine (latitude 34.085, longitude 118.36182, elev. 240')

The building is an urban infill, market-rate mixed-use housing. The main architectural feature of this project is the building's owner-controlled operable double façade system.  By allowing the occupant to adjust, at will, the operable screens of the building façade, the facade is virtually redesigned everyday from within the space, reflecting the occupants of the building in real time.  The screens also enhance the existing streetscape and promote a lively pedestrian environment. By visually breaking up the façade into smaller articulated moving elements, the building appears to move with the passing cars and people. In effect, it becomes a live canvas to paint upon, at will. Like many features of the building, the façade is multivalent and rich with meaning performing several roles for formal, functional and experiential effect.

Environmental Aspects
The front facade is designed with a series of perforated aluminum screens that filter early morning light into the front units on the east and protect the west units from the setting sun.  The building is oriented to capture prevailing breezes and to filter sunlight through a large southeast facing, 4-story perforated galvanized screen to the interior courtyard. Most of the units have windows on opposite perimeter walls to allow natural cross ventilation.  Low flow fixtures are used throughout.  R21 blown-in natural cellulose insulation was used in walls and R30 in roof.  No VOC paints and finishes, recycled content materials and 100% FSC certified wood products were used.  80% of combined C & D materials were recycled. A green roof and storm water catch basin located in the public right-of-way captures and treats all of the rainwater that falls on the site.

The result is a careful balance of passive solar design and mechanical comfort systems.

The building is certified LEED "Platinum" by the United States Green Building Council (USGBC).

Owner & Occupancy
Owned by REThink.
Developed by REThink

Permanent mixed-use market-rate housing
Cherokee Lofts consists of 12 condominium lofts and 2800 square feet of retail space. The building is 5 stories including 1 underground level of parking, first floor retail and parking, three floors of lofts on floors 2 through 4 and a rooftop deck and green roof.

Lessons Learned
Through rigorous dialogue with the client, a clear vision emerged that included an expanded facility for higher density and mixed-use, a regenerative approach to the landscape, and a desire to meet the Living Building Challenge.
The pioneering nature of this project has left the team with many lessons from the design and construction process. Many are the result of pursuing the Living Building Challenge and many others are products of the nature of the structure. A new lesson for this project was the complexity of finding materials that not only were not on the red list but also met radius and responsible industry requirements and were affordable for the client.
Our approach was an intuitive, scientific, and experiential process. Concepts were modeled using scientific tools to measure comfort, energy, daylighting and other metrics. The team collaborated and relied upon the findings of the modeling to develop an integrated, high-performance design for the building and site. One example was using the building facade as a tempering element to improve comfort and reduce mechanical systems.

Energy
Due to very efficient building envelope, the electrical design load was reduced.  Building envelope consists of: R21 batt insulation in the walls and R30 in the roof, along with double-glazed windows with a lowE coating.  Shading is provided for the building and the courtyard space by the perforated screens and building shape. All units are designed with windows on opposite walls to induce natural cross-ventilation. In addition to the passive design, the unique heating and cooling system is a high tech variable refrigerant flow (VRF) system that effectively acts as a heat pump to move heat (and cool) from one part of the building to another.  As a result, heating and cooling loads are reduced by nearly 50%. A 30kw PV solar system provides 11.5% of the buildings energy needs.

All light fixtures are compact fluorescent in the units and exterior walkways and exterior lights are on timers. Fluorescent tubes were also used in the ground floor and parking garage. Individual units have energy star refrigerators and dishwashers.

Data Sources & Reliability
Simulation software
Energy Pro4.3 by Energysoft for Title 24 report.

Reliability
The analytical results have not been checked yet due to recent completion.

Solar Cooling Loads
Use light-colored exterior walls and courtyards, green living roof and cool roof.
Cantilevered walkways and perforated dual façade designed to shade the building.
Shade south and west windows with deep balconies, southeast with perforated screen and northeast with perforated metal dual skin façade. Building is shaped to provide shading.

Non-Solar Cooling Loads
Provide void space in building volume, towards prevailing breeze, to enhance airflow and shading of the courtyard and through the project.
Reduce internal heat gains by improving daylighting and appliance efficiency.

Lighting Controls
Use timers for all exterior lights and motion sensors throughout.

Refrigerators
Energy star refrigerators and dishwashers by Bosch.  All appliances are energy star.

Materials & Resources
Major materials were selected with a recycled content: carpet with 25% post consumer content, recycled-content gypsum board with 31% recycled content (26% post consumer waste), concrete with 25% minimum fly ash content and building insulation with minimum 20% recycled glass cullet and formaldehyde-free. All paints selected were no VOC.  Interior floor finishes are exposed concrete slab (sealed) or FSC certified wood.  Where painting was required, a high-quality prime and paint system was specified.

Finishes were minimized throughout: Concrete slabs were left exposed where possible and the exterior stucco finish has an integral pigment in lieu of a paint finish.  The exterior metal screens are aluminum with an anodized color, which will never require painting or refinishing.

Diversion of Construction & Demolition Waste
The overall combined recycling percentage was 80%.  The contractor used a waste hauler company to pick up co-mingled waste and provide a report detailing the amount of waste that went to the landfill vs. the amount of waste that got diverted by material (wood, cardboard, metal, carpet, residual, greenwaste, concrete, other and mixed inert).

Green Products Used
Coal Fly Ash
Recycled-Content, Formaldehyde-Free Insulation Batts by Johns Manville
Natural blown-in cellulose insulation
Recycled-Content Gypsum Board
No VOC paints by AFM Safecoat
Storm water catchbasin and filter system "Stormwater360", by Contech, Inc.
FSC certified Composite wood products by Weyerhaeuser, John Mansville and others.
Cabinets inside the units were constructed of formaldehyde free and FSC certified woods.
Low flow dual flush toilets and faucets with aerators.
Variable refrigerant flow HVAC system by Mitsubishi (common use for entire building)
Electric car charging port for every unit
20 kw PV system by Kyocera
Energy star refrigerators and dishwashers by Bosch
High efficiency Elevator by KONE (uses same amount of power as a hair dryer-30 amps)
LED lighting

Protection of Global Ecosystem
Avoid rigid or blown foam insulation made with an HCFC blowing agent
Minimize ozone-depletion potential of refrigerants in cooling systems

Design for Materials Use Reduction
Use materials with integral finish

Job Site Recycling
Seek a waste hauler who can separate recyclables out of commingled waste
Facilitate recycling by avoiding materials with toxic components

Recycling by Occupants
Design a physical in-house recycling system

Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Manufacturer
Use concrete with fly ash replacing a portion of the cement

Resource-Efficient and Materials
Use engineered FSC certified wood products for rough and finish carpentry
Use insulation with recycled content

Transportation of Materials
Prefer materials that are sourced and manufactured within the local area

Indoor Environment
One of the team’s primary objectives was to enhance the quality of living for each resident by surpassing standards found in conventional housing projects. All units have abundant natural light, cross-ventilation and the building was designed to take advantage of the prevailing breezes to keep air circulating through the project.

Environmental air quality was addressed by following AQMD (Southcoast Air Quality Mangement District) and Greenseal requirements for finishes and by minimizing finishes: concrete slabs were left exposed where possible and an integral color was provided in the exterior stucco finish, thereby eliminating the need for painting of the exterior of the building.

No- VOC paints, sealants and coatings were used by AFM Safecoat.

Thermal Comfort
Use glazing with a low Solar Heat Gain Coefficient
Design for optimum cross ventilation through window placement.

Visual Comfort and Light Sources
Use electronic ballasts with fluorescent lighting.
Provide abundant natural light.

Reduction of Indoor Pollutants
Use only very low or no-VOC paints
Use formaldehyde free batt insulation.

Visual Comfort and Interior Design
Select only white to midrange finishes to maximize reflectance of light.

Visiting
It is possible to visit this project Cherokee is located at 751 N, Fairfax Ave, Los Angeles, California.

+ Project credits / data

Project: Cherokee Mixed-Use Lofts
Location: 751 N. Fairfax Ave., Los Angeles, California, 90046
Total Square Footage: 32,000 sq. ft. (60 units/acre)
Total Cost: $6,250,000.00
Completed: 2010

Client/Owner: ReThink Development, Inc. | http://www.rethinkdev.com/
Architects: Brooks + Scarpa (formerly Pugh + Scarpa) | http://www.brooksscarpa.com
Project Team: Lawrence Scarpa, FAIA – Principal- in-Charge. Stephanie Ericson, AIA, Project Architect, Angela Brooks, AIA, Silke Clemens, Joshua Howell, Ching Luk, Charles Austin, Gwynne Pugh, FAIA, Lawrence Scarpa, – Project Design Team.
Engineering: BPA – Structural Engineering
Cobalt Engineering – Mechanical, Electrical and Plumbing
Environmental Consultant: Albert Bicol, Cobalt and Greg Reitz, ReThink
Façade Consultant: CR Laurence, Inc.
General Contractor: JT Builders
Landscape: FormLA
Photography: John Edward Linden and Tara Wujcik (as noted)

+ General Specifications

Structural system: Type V wood frame over Type I reinforced concrete.

Exterior

Masonry: Angeles Block Company
Metal: Custom Perforated Moveable Screens by CR Laurence, Inc.
Concrete: Type ll Portland Cement with 25% flyash, LM Scofield Lithochrome stain
Wood: Composite floor truss joists by Weyerhaeuser, Micro-lam and parallam composite beams by Truss Joist Corporation, Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified oak flooring, cabinets, and structural wood.
Exterior: Recycled Portland Cement Exterior Cement Plaster with integral finish.
Windows: Milgard, Fleetwood, US Aluminum Corporation
Glazing: Solarban 80 by PPG
Skylights: Bristolite, Solatube International, Inc.
Doors: TM Cobb, Timely, Steelcraft Manufacturing Co., McKeon Door Company, Nationwide Industries, Anemostat Door Products, Total Door Systems.
Hardware: Schlage, Trimco, LCN, Ives, Rixon, Monarch, Pemko, Johnson, Elmes
Roofing: 4-ply Modified bitumen membrane cool roof by CertainTeed Corporation Flashing:    Celotex, GAF corporation, Grefco, APOC

Interior finishes

Cabinets: Recycled Formaldehyde free MDF and FSC certified oak
Paints:  Non-toxic zero VOC Paints by AFM Safecoat
Paneling: Recycled Formaldehyde free MDF, Recycled-Content Gypsum Board with 31% recycled content (26% post consumer waste), Dens-Glass Gold by Georgia-Pacific
Tile: Ecotile by Walker Zanger
Flooring: Ecotile by Walker Zanger, concrete and FSC certified oak
Lighting: Shaper, Bega Prudential, Stonco, Belfer, Del Rey Lighting
Controls: Lutron
Insulation: Blown in cellulose insulation is 98% recycled. Recycled-Content, Formaldehyde-Free Insulation Batts by Johns Manville

Plumbing

Fixtures: American Standard, Kohler, Bobrick, Grohe, Chicago Faucets, Toto, Delta
Appliances: GE, ISE, Bosch, Fagor, Bertazzoni
Insulation: Recycled-Content, Formaldehyde-Free Insulation Batts by Johns Manville
Other: Storm water catchbasin and filter system by Stormwater360, Contech, Inc., Hydronic wall heaters by Runtal connected to common boiler. Cabinet hardware by Sugatsune, Basco and E.B. Bradley

GREEN FEATURES

Renewable Energy/Energy Efficiency

• Designed to be over 45% better than California's Title 24 2005 Energy Efficiency standards
• 30 kW solar electric array by Kyocera
• Energy Star refrigerators and dishwashers by Bosch
• Electric car charging capability for every unit
• Best in class (EF 83) tankless water heaters by Noritz
• Variable Refrigerant Flow Heating and AC by Mitsubishi
• Designed to optimize natural light and ventilation
• High efficient Elevator by KONE (runs on same power as a hairdryer)
• High efficacy lighting with strategic use of LED Lights
• Blown in insulation provides superior energy efficiency
• Reflective "cool roof" and living "green" roof to reduce energy use
• 50% of the parking garage is naturally ventilated

Water Efficiency

• Dual flush Toto Aquia II toilets
• Water efficient Hans Grohe fixtures
• Reduced stormwater runoff through first-ever under-sidewalk infiltration system
• Reduced landfill waste by over 80%
• Low-water, drought resistant landscaping
• Excavation, Demo completed using equipment run on Biodiesel (recycled restaurant oil)
• Non-toxic treatment on all structural wood to resist termites and mold
• Green Roof with stormwater collection

Environmentally Friendly Materials

• Reclaimed Black Forest Walnut from Studio One reused
• Recycled tile by Erin Adams Design and Walker Zanger
• High recycled content and locally produced products used throughout
• Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified oak flooring, cabinets, and structural wood
• Blown in cellulose insulation is 98% recycled
• Non Toxic zero VOC Paints by AFM Safecoat
• Composite structural wood by Weyerhaeuser and Truss Joist Corporation
• 25% minimum fly-ash content in  all concrete
• Recycled-Content Gypsum Board with 31% recycled content (26% post consumer waste)

Clean Air, Comfort and Quiet

• Peaceful retreats in Courtyard and living "green" roof deck
• Extensive bike storage
• Abundant natural daylight
• Walkable neighborhood scores "Walker's Paradise" (94 out of 100) on walkscore.com
• Quiet interiors from 6 inches of blown-in insulation on the entire building perimeter
• Double 6 inch walls with two layers of insulation between units for sound isolation
• Double façade creates shade, enables ventilation and provides privacy

Cherokee Mixed-Use Lofts – Energy Analysis Summary

Base case energy model was T24 2005, Energy pro 4.3 by EnergySoft. The electricity consumption includes 30,000 kWh (102,360 Mbtu/yr) of PV solar contribution, and savings of 10 Mbtyu/yr in process load, calculated outside of the modeling program.  Both of these savings were accepted by the USGBC under credit EAc1.  Natural gas in the building is higher than the base, however, this energy is for hot water consumption only.  Space heating is done electrically and shows a savings in the design over the base case.

+ All images and drawings courtesy Brooks + Scarpa Architects

The several awards winning project Step Up on Fifth by Brooks + Scarpa Architects was designed to accommodate 46 studio apartments, ground level retail space and subterranean parking. The building is loaded with energy-saving and environmentally materials/devices with 71% recycling rate achievement.

The front facade is designed with a series of water jet cut aluminum screens that filter early morning light into the front units.  The building is oriented to capture prevailing breezes and to filter sunlight through a large southeast facing, 4-story perforated galvanized screen to the two interior courtyards.

Brooks + Scarpa Architects

+ Project description by Brooks + Scarpa

Step Up on 5th is a bright new spot in downtown Santa Monica. The new building provides a home, support services and rehabilitation for the homeless and mentally disabled population. The new structure provides 46 studio apartments of permanent affordable housing. The project also includes ground level commercial/retail space and subterranean parking. The density of the project is 258 dwelling units/acre, which exceeds the average density of Manhattan, NY (2000 USA Census Bureau Data) by more than 10%.

A striking yet light-hearted exterior makes the new building a welcome landmark in downtown Santa Monica. Custom water jet-anodized aluminum panels on the main façade creates a dramatic screen that sparkles in the sun and glows at night, while also acting as sun protection and privacy screens. The material reappears as a strategic arrangement of screens on east and south-facing walls, lending a subtle rhythm to the exterior circulation walkways and stairs. South-facing walls filter direct sunlight with asymmetrical horizontal openings that lend unexpected visual depth while creating a sense of security for the emotionally sensitive occupants. Enhancing the structure's geometric texture, the irregular array of openings variably extrudes from the building's surface.

The small-scale elements on the façade enhance the existing streetscape and promote a lively pedestrian environment. By visually breaking up the façade into smaller articulated elements, the building appears to move with the passing cars and people.

At the second level above the retail space two private courtyards provide residents with a secure and welcoming surrounding while connecting directly to 5th street and downtown Santa Monica via a secured stairway integrated into the building storefront at street level.  Community rooms are located on every other floor of the project overlooking the private courtyards protected from the street.   These community roomsalong with the private courtyards serve as the principal social spaces for the tenants of the building.

Step Up on 5th distinguishes itself from most conventionally developed projects in that it incorporates energy efficient measures that exceed standard practice, optimize building performance, and ensure reduced energy use during all phases of construction and occupancy. The planning and design of Step Up on 5th emerged from close consideration and employment of passive design strategies. These strategies include: locating and orienting the building to control solar cooling loads; shaping and orienting the building for exposure to prevailing winds; shaping the building to induce buoyancy for natural ventilation; designing windows to maximize day lighting; shading south facing windows and minimizing west-facing glazing; designing windows to maximize natural ventilation; utilizing low flow fixtures and storm water management; shaping and planning the interior to enhance daylight and natural air flow distribution. These passive strategies alone make this building 50% more efficient than a conventionally designed structure.

The building is loaded with energy-saving and environmentally benign or “sustainable” devices. Materials conservation and recycling were employed during construction by requiring waste to be hauled to a transfer station for recycling. The overall project achieved a 71% recycling rate. Specifying carpet, insulation and concrete with a recycled content, and utilizing all-natural linoleum flooring also emphasized resource conservation. The project uses compact fluorescent lighting throughout the building and double-pane windows that have a low-E coating. Each apartment is equipped with water-saving low flow toilets and a high-efficiency hydronic system for heat. While California has the most stringent energy efficient requirements in the United States, Step Up incorporates numerous sustainable features that exceeded state mandated Title 24 energy measures by 26%. Although not submitted at this time, the project has followed the LEED certification process and would receive 39 points making it equivalent to LEED “Gold”.

*Energy Analysis – 46-unit Mixed-use Residential Building, Santa Monica, CA
36 achievable LEED Points qualifying for equivalent "Gold" Certification

Overview

• Location: Santa Monica, CA
• Building type(s): Multi-unit residential for homeless people with mental disabilities.
• New construction
• 31,600 sq. feet
• Project scope: 5-story building over subterranean parking garage. Ground floor consists of a residential lobby, computer room and parking. Units are organized on the second-fifth floors around two exterior courtyards.
• Urban setting
• Completed March 2009
• Climate Region: 3C Warm-Marine (latitude 34.019, longitude 118.490, elevation  105')

Urban infill, permanent supportive housing for previously homeless, mentally disabled individuals. Designed to be a ‘house’ for the 46 people who live here, the front of the project has a large front door leading to a lobby under a cantilevered perforated screen canopy.  The screen system provides a measure of privacy from the busy street for the tenants through perforated aluminum panels and open walkways, courtyards and common community rooms that allow social interaction in a protected, exterior space within the project. A mixed-use project, the ground floor contains a computer lab and a lobby for the units floors 2-5.  All of the studio apartments have murphy beds to allow for spatial flexibility.

Environmental Aspects
The front facade is designed with a series of water jet cut aluminum screens that filter early morning light into the front units.  The building is oriented to capture prevailing breezes and to filter sunlight through a large southeast facing, 4-story perforated galvanized screen to the two interior courtyards. Most of the studio apartments have windows on opposite perimeter walls to allow natural cross ventilation. A common boiler heats the domestic hot water and space heating is provided by a common boiler and small hydronic radiators in each unit. Only the ground floor computer lab and the two manager’s units have cooling. Low flow fixtures are used throughout. R21 insulation was used in walls and R30 in roof. Low VOC paints and finishes, recycled carpet and natural linoleum were also used. 71% of combined C & D materials were recycled.  The project includes a trash chute for recycled materials.

A storm water catch basin and filter system (hidden in the front planter) capture and treat all of the rainwater that falls on the site.

Owner & Occupancy
Owned by Step Up on Second,  a nonprofit corporation.
Developed by A Community of Friends,  a nonprofit corporation.
Permanent supportive housing: 46 studio apartments for individuals with bathroom, Murphy bed and kitchenettes.  Included in project is two shared community rooms with full kitchens and gathering space, two common laundry rooms and two offices for staff.

Lessons Learned
During the design phases, the team had a goal of meeting LEED silver and this process was started, however, when the contractor became involved, completing this task became cost-prohibitive. The specifications were written with the original goal in mind and the City of Santa Monica has very stringent green requirements which were met by the project, even though it was never submitted for the LEED rating. Education of the construction team would be beneficial for future projects to keep costs in-line.

Energy
Due to small unit size and efficient unit envelope, the electrical design load was reduced.  Building envelope consists of: R 21 batt insulation in the walls and R 30 in the roof, along with double-glazed windows with a lowE coating.  Shading is provided for the building and both courtyard spaces through the perforated screens. Cooling is only provided in the ground floor computer lab, the two offices and the two manager’s units. All other units are designed with windows on opposite walls to induce natural cross-ventilation. All units and community rooms are heated through a common boiler and radiator system (small fan blows air over the hot water pipes between the wall studs). Domestic hot water is also heated through a common boiler. All light fixtures are compact fluorescent in the units and exterior walkways and exterior lights are on timers. Fluorescent tubes were also used in the ground floor lobby and computer lab. Individual units have small kitchenettes with an energy star refrigerator and only the two community rooms have gas-fired ranges (to promote social interaction among tenants).

Data Sources & Reliability
Simulation software
Energy Pro by Energysoft for Title 24 report.

Reliability
The analytical results have not been checked yet due to recent completion.

Green Strategies

Solar Cooling Loads
Use light-colored exterior walls and courtyards.
Cantilevered walkways designed to face south and also shade the building.
Shade southwest windows with window box, southeast with perforated screen and northeast with water jet screen.

Non-Solar Cooling Loads
Provide void space in building volume, towards prevailing breeze,  to enhance airflow into courtyard and through project.
Reduce internal heat gains by improving lighting and appliance efficiency

Lighting Controls
Use timers for all exterior lights.

Refrigerators
Use only energy star refrigerators

Materials & Resources
Five major materials were selected with a recycled content: carpet with 25% post consumer content, gypsum board with 5% post consumer and 3% pre consumer, concrete with 10% minimum fly ash content and building insulation with minimum 20% recycled glass cullet and formaldehyde-free.
All paints selected were low VOC. Interior floor finish in common areas is exposed concrete slab (sealed) or natural linoleum.  Where painting was required, a high-quality prime and paint system was specified.

Finishes were minimized throughout:  Concrete slabs were left exposed where possible and the exterior stucco finish has an integral pigment in lieu of a paint finish.  The exterior metal screen at front facade is aluminum with an anodized color and the side yard screen is ‘galvalume’ a galvanized finish- neither screen will require painting or finishing in the future.

Diversion of Construction & Demolition Waste
The City of Santa Monica required the contractor to recycle at least 65% of the C&D materials during the construction phase of the project.  The actual overall combined recycling percentage was 71%.  The contractor used a waste hauler company to pick up co-mingled waste and provide a report detailing the amount of waste that went to the landfill vs. the amount of waste that got diverted by material (wood, cardboard, metal, carpet, residual, greenwaste, concrete, other and mixed inert).  www.californiawasteservices.com

Green Products Used
Coal Fly Ash
Armstrong Natural Linoleum Flooring
Recycled-Content, Formaldehyde-Free Insulation Batts by Johns Manville
Recycled-Content Gypsum Board
Ecoshield low VOC Interior Paints by Dunn-Edwards
Recycled-Content Residential Carpet by Mohawk
Storm water catchbasin and filter system by Stormwater360, Contech, Inc.
Composite floor truss joists by Weyerhaeuser.
Cabinets inside the units were constructed of MDF and then clear-sealed.
Low flow toilets and faucets with aerators.
Hydronic wall heaters connected to common boiler.

Green Strategies
Protection of Global Ecosystem
Avoid rigid or blown foam insulation made with an HCFC blowing agent
Minimize ozone-depletion potential of refrigerants in cooling systems

Design for Materials Use Reduction
Use materials with integral finish

Job Site Recycling
Seek a waste hauler who can separate recyclables out of commingled waste
Facilitate recycling by avoiding materials with toxic components

Recycling by Occupants
Design a physical in-house recycling system

Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Manufacture
Use concrete with fly ash replacing a portion of the cement

Resource-Efficient and Materials
Use engineered wood products for rough carpentry
Use insulation with recycled content

Transportation of Materials
Prefer materials that are sourced and manufactured within the local area

Indoor Environment
One of the team’s primary objectives was to enhance the quality of living for each resident by surpassing standards found in conventional affordable-housing projects. Although the studio units have limited floor area, all units have Murphy beds hidden in the wall cabinet, natural light, cross-ventilation and the building was designed to take advantage of the prevailing breezes to keep air circulating through the project.

Environmental air quality was addressed by following AQMD (Southcoast Air Quality Mangement District) and Greenseal requirements for finishes and by minimizing finishes: concrete slabs were left exposed where possible and an integral color was provided in the exterior stucco finish, thereby eliminating the need for painting of the exterior of the building.

Low and no- VOC paints, sealants and coatings were used.

Concrete slabs were left exposed at the ground floor (with integral color for the lobby) and natural linoleum was used in the common spaces above the ground floor.

Green Strategies
Thermal Comfort
Use glazing with a low Solar Heat Gain Coefficient
Design for optimum cross ventilation through window placement.

Visual Comfort and Light Sources
Use electronic ballasts with fluorescent lighting.

Reduction of Indoor Pollutants
Use only very low or no-VOC paints
Use formaldehyde free batt insulation.

Visual Comfort and Interior Design
Select only white to midrange finishes to maximize reflectance of light.

Visiting
It is possible to visit this project and tours can be arranged on request. Step Up on Fifth is located at 1548 Fifth Street in Santa Monica, California. From the Santa Monica Freeway, exit to downtown Santa Monica at the 5th street exit. Step Up on Fifth is located on the west side of the street after the first intersection at 5th Street and Colorado Avenue. Street parking is available in front of the building.

+ Project credits / data

Project: Step Up on Fifth
Location: 1548 5th Street, Downtown Santa Monica, California
Total Square Footage: 31,600 sq. ft.
Total Cost: $11.4 million
Completed: 2009

Client/Owner: Step Up | Tod Lipka, President and CEO

Architects: Brooks + Scarpa | http://www.brooksscarpa.com
Project Team: Lawrence Scarpa, FAIA – Design Architect, Angela Brooks, AIA, Principal-in-Charge, Brad Buter, Silke Clemens, Ching Luk, Matt Majack, Luis Gomez, Omar Barcena, Dan Safarik, Gwynne Pugh

Engineering: John Martin Associates, Jackie Vinkler – Structural IBE, Alan Locke – Mechanical, Electrical and Plumbing
Environmental Consultant: Helios International – John Ingersoll
Metal Fabrication:  Ramsey Daham
Contractor: Ruiz Brothers
Landscape: Landscape Scenarios
Photography: John Edward Linden

Awards:

AIA California Council Design Merit Award, 2010
AIA National Institute Honor Award for Architecture, 2010
AIA National Housing Award, 2010
Residential Architect Merit Award, 2010
AIA/LA Design Awards: Merit: Multifamily, 2009
Westside Urban Forum Prize
Infill: Unbuilt. 2007
Infill: Built, 2009

+ General Specifications

Structural system: Type V wood frame over Type I reinforced concrete.

Exterior

Masonry: Angeles Block Company
Metal: Custom Waterjet cut by Ramsey Dahman, perforated by McNichols.
Concrete: Type ll Portland Cement with 25% flyash, LM Scolfeild Lithochrome stain
Wood: Composite floor truss joists by Weyerhaeuser, Micro-lam and parallam composite beams by Truss Joist Corporation
Exterior: Recycled Portland Cement Exterior Cement Plaster with integral finish
Windows: Milgard, Fleetwood, US Aluminum Corporation
Glazing: Solarban 80 by PPG
Skylights: Bristolite, Solatube International, Inc.
Doors: TM Cobb, Timely, Steelcraft Manufacturing Co., McKeon Door Company, Nationwide Industries, Anemostat Door Products, Total Door Systems.
Hardware: Schlage, Trimco, LCN, Ives, Rixon, Monarch, Pemko, Johnson, Elmes
Roofing: 4-ply Modified bitumen membrane by CertainTeed Corporation Flashing, Celotex, GAF corporation, Grefco, APOC

Interior finishes

Cabinets: Custom Recycled Formaldehyde free MDF (clear seal),
Paints: Ecoshield low VOC Interior Paints by Dunn-Edwards
Paneling: Recycled Formaldehyde free MDF (clear seal), Recycled-Content Gypsum Board with         31% recycled content (26% post consumer waste), Dens-Glass Gold by USG
Tile: Daltile
Flooring: Armstrong Natural Linoleum Flooring
Carpet: Recycled-Content Residential Carpet by Mohawk

Conveyance

Elevators: ThyssenKrupp
Parking Lifts: Otto Wohr GMBH distributed by American Elevator

Lighting

Interior: Prudential, Shaper, Prescolite, Lightway,
Downlights: Halo, Capri
Exterior: Shaper, Bega Prudential, Stonco, Belfer, Del Rey Lighting
Controls: Lutron

Plumbing

Fixtures: American Standard, Kohler, Bobrick, Grohe, Chicago Faucets, Toto, Delta
Appliances: GE, ISE
Insulation: Recycled-Content, Formaldehyde-Free Insulation Batts by Johns Manville
Other: Storm water catchbasin and filter system by Stormwater360, Contech, Inc., Hydronic wall heaters by Runtalconnected to common boiler. Cabinet hardware by Sugatsune, Basco and E.B. Bradley

+ All images and drawings courtesy Brooks + Scarpa | Photo by John Edward Linden