Multi-Housing News - October 2008 - (Page 19)

spoke on the financial reasons for going ‘green,’” says Los. “As it turned out, the greener we made Mirabella, the more money we saved our client and the residents.” As the developer and operator of Mirabella, PRS pays residents’ utility bills and will live with the sustainable design decisions it made on the project for many years. “As an operator, we cannot sustain a 25 to 30 percent increase in energy costs every year or two, any more than a single-family resident can,” says Mazza. “It took my breath away to see my utility bill increase more than 18 percent this year compared to last. The average person’s income potential simply cannot sustain these increases, which is why we see the huge benefits of designing energy efficiency and sustainability up front.” “On the surface, sustainability seems quite complex, with hundreds of issues to consider,” says Los. “But they all boil down to three things: reducing use of fossil fuels; reducing waste and/or increasing recycled content; and limiting potential toxins in the air, water and off-gassing of construction materials.” Mazza adds, “If we can eliminate 25 to 50 cents per square foot in utility costs by saving energy—and we can—we can achieve savings of $400,000 to the bottom line.” Here are some of the sustainable design techniques used in PRS’s Portland project: s An urban brownfield redevelopment site that revitalizes a previously developed land area, minimizes destruction of green spaces and helps protect native habitat. s An onsite automobile sharing program to reduce fossil fuel use. s An underground parking garage and valet service that stacks vehicles on mechanical lifts in tandem spaces three rows deep. This reduces the garage area, saving both materials and resources. s A private stormwater management system that includes bioswales that capture site storm water and treat it before releasing it into the ground. An ‘ecoroof’ on Mirabella’s podium level absorbs rainwater to lighten the load on the sewer system and reduce contamination of the Willamette River. s Techniques that work collectively to reduce energy use in the building by more than 40 percent, including solar hot water; high efficiency, water-source heat pumps; and lighting and mechanicals. s Corridors will be filled with 100 percent outside air, with demand-controlled ventilation in public areas and office spaces that will record CO2 levels and adjust air flow accordingly. s Heavy use of recycled construction materials, lowVOC emission building products and green housekeeping measures. MHN Integrated. And, you avoid the “blame game” that results when glitches occur in a mixed system, with vendors blaming each other’s software as the source of the trouble. With a RealPage solution, information flows smoothly between every function: accounting, payments, pricing, move-ins and move-outs, facilities, marketing, billing and more. astonishing insight and decision-making power. So you see, life doesn’t have to be so complicated. Just get integrated. Talk to a RealPage representative Your onsite professionals about our comprehensive enjoy a single, easy interface solutions today. for everything they do. And For more information on for managers at the home property management sysoffice, the smooth flow tems, call 1-87-REALPAGE, of information between ext. 3700 or visit applications offers www.realpage.com. RealPage, Inc. • 4000 International Parkway • Carrollton,Texas 75007-1913 ©2008 RealPage, Inc. All trademarks are the properties of their respective owners. For more information, visit www.multi-housingnews.com/productinfo www.multi-housingnews.com | October 2008 19 http://www.realpage.com http://www.multi-housingnews.com/productinfo http://www.multi-housingnews.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Multi-Housing News - October 2008

Multi-Housing News - October 2008
Contents
From the Editor
MHN TV Premieres
Market Pulse
Special Report: MHN 2008 Design Awards
Development & Design: Mirabella
Market Report: Chicago, Kansas City
Property Management: Tracking Residents’ Tech Wish Lists
Finance: Freddie Mac/Fannie Mae
Tech Report: Marketing Web sites
Products: Appliances

Multi-Housing News - October 2008