A luxury apartment complex
built with energy- and water-efficient features and within walking distance of
the Johnson Space Center in Houston has become the largest project certified by
the NAHB Research Center to the
National Green Building
Standard, according to the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) and the
NAHB Research Center.
The Voyager at Space
Center, a 313-unit apartment development in Nassau Bay, met specific benchmarks
in energy, water and resource efficiency; indoor environmental quality, lot and
site development, and operation and maintenance education to qualify for the
standard, the first green residential rating system to be approved by the
American National Standards Institute (ANSI). It's a project from Martin Fein
Interests, a member of the Greater Houston Builders Association (GHBA) that
also builds apartment buildings and commercial developments in Austin, TX, and
in Denver.
"Green
is booming in the Lone Star State, and I am delighted to see green building
become accessible not just to Texas home buyers but also to renters," said
NAHB Chairman
Bob Jones, a builder and developer in Bloomfield
Hills, Mich.
Built on
the site of a former government office building, the project earned points for
reusing portions of the existing structure and for its density and proximity to
employment and retail centers.
The
landscaping was designed to minimize the need for irrigation, and
environmentally friendly finishes were used throughout the project. All of the
units feature Energy Star-rated appliances, and the developer expects that the
lower energy costs and other benefits associated with green construction will
be very appealing to potential residents.
