Sunset Electric Apartments
Seattle, WA
This 90-unit, LEED Platinum® certitied, mixed-use project includes a wealth of sustainable features and amenities
- Preferred parking for low-emitting vehicles
- Local lumber and wood products
- Rooftop wood deck pavers are forest stewardship council (fsc)-certified.
- Reuse of original framing timbers to create kitchen and bedroom shelving as part of historic preservation
- Integrated trash, recycling, and compost program
- A green roof and highly reflective roofing materials mitigate heat island effect
- Drought tolerant plants, coupled with an intentional exclusion of turf grass, contribute to significant potable water savings
- Innovative water heating system in conjunction with very efficient fixtures and appliances.
- A reverse cycle chiller located in the garage transfers latent heat from the air in the garage to the domestic hot water supply – providing synergistic benefits by coupling garage exhaust ventilation with very high efficiency water heating.
- Low-flow water fixtures as well as high-efficiency appliances and lighting packages in all units
- Open courtyard building design crisscrossed with catwalks connecting units – increases day-lighting and eliminates the 24 hour heating, cooling, and lighting demands of interior corridors.
- Winner: 2014 NAIOP’s “Night of Stars” Award for Multi-Family Development of The Year – Mid-Rise
O’Brien360 provided LEED for Homes testing and verification services, as well as guidance and technical assistance to the project team on this 90-unit, mixed-use project which earned LEED for Homes Midrise Platinum and includes many sustainable features and amenities. The energy efficiency expected at Sunset Electric is substantial and should make it one of the top-performing new multi-family buildings in the region. O’Brien360 conducted Trades training sessions throughout construction, including a session focused on air sealing details in a mock-up unit. After O’Brien360 diagnosed and discussed leakage sources
during the preliminary test session with the contractor and trades, the construction team achieved a near-perfect pass rate on the final blower door tests. Throughout design and construction, O’Brien360 continued to “connect the dots” to improve the outcomes of this project. The firm set up a meeting at the Lighting Design Lab with the architect and facilitated conversations to increase and keep the BuiltSmart Incentives on track and worked closely with both the owner and property management firm to create user-friendly Resident Manuals for the residents.