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 theNational 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 ChairmanBob 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.
Source: NAHB
