Elite Care Becomes Nation’s First LEED® Platinum Certified Modularly Constructed Senior Housing Community
Tigard, Ore. (PRWEB) April 09, 2015 -- As part of its deep commitment to sustainability and ongoing effort to provide residents high-quality living conditions, Elite Care has added two LEED® Platinum certified communities, extending its philosophy of sustainability well beyond what happens inside the walls of their buildings.
Platinum, the highest-level LEED® certification from the Green Building Council (USGBC), is based on LEED® points awarded for water and energy efficiency, indoor air quality, building materials and other factors. This high score is a result of focusing on a tighter building envelope, including thermal resistant roofing. It’s also indicative of a commitment to implement innovative construction methods that afford residents the highest possible quality of life.
Elite Care first began its commitment to sustainable building in 2006 with the completion of its Fanno Creek community, which became the nation’s first LEED® Platinum certified senior housing campus in 2009. Last week, Elite Care was awarded LEED® Platinum status for its two most recently constructed communities: Sylvan Park in Vancouver, Washington, and Oatfield Estates in Milwaukie, Oregon.
“Elite Care is devoted to green building concepts and sustainability as a business model. All of our communities will be designed with this goal in mind moving forward. One of our core philosophies is to provide our residents an environment where they can live longer, happier, healthier lives,” said Jason Hess, Elite Care CEO.
Project features that helped Elite Care achieve its LEED® Platinum certification include:
Design Features:
Rainwater collection and gray water use are essential features. Rainwater is collected and stored in underground retention tanks with pumps that supply gray water to all campus lavatories and community gardens. Low-flow showerheads and toilets were installed throughout to reduce water consumption. Tankless water heaters were installed to continually service radiant piping beneath the floor.
Green Building Materials:
Green building practices are featured in nearly every element of construction. Low-VOC carpeting and zero-VOC paint increase indoor air quality. Triple-pane windows and high R value insulation, 50% above code requirements, ensure resident comfort.
ENERGY STAR® rated fans and appliances were installed to reduce energy consumption while creating a comfortable environment for residents. High-efficiency insulation reduces drafts and temperature fluctuation, and high-efficiency PTACs (packaged terminal air conditioners) were installed in individual rooms, allowing each resident to set the room temperature to their optimum comfort level.
Project Team:
Elite Care partners with Northwest Ventures Group, Inc. as the developer of its communities and LEED® consultant, and is closely aligned with their mission to create vibrant, sustainable and inspiring multigenerational and economic communities where people can live, work and thrive.
About Elite Care:
Since 2000, Elite Care has been transforming health and memory care services for the elderly in the Pacific Northwest. Elite Care’s Extended Family Residences™, located in Portland and Tigard, Oregon, as well as Vancouver, Washington, are a healthy alternative to traditional long-term and memory care. Each community features a culture that advocates life engagement, architecture that emphasizes familial gatherings and technology that promotes safety with autonomy. The result—a high-quality, meaningful life for residents, without regard to age, diagnosis or ability.
Christine Caplan, CMD, +1 (503) 412-8850, [email protected]
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