LEED Revamps Accreditation Program

According to the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), more than 75,000 people have earned the credential since its inception in 2001. Established in Jan. 2008, the Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI) currently administers the accreditation program in conjunction with the USGBC and provides a third-party outlet in recognizing excellence in green building performance and practice for project certification and professional accreditation.

Beginning July 1, 2009, the LEED accreditation program is undergoing some major changes. The first change will identify three levels of green building knowledge for professionals. The basic knowledge for professionals desiring a non-technical accreditation will be known as a LEED Green Associate. The next level is LEED AP signifying an advanced understanding of green building practices and the final, most extensive accreditation is LEED Fellow.

The GBCI is still working on the credential system for LEED Fellow but according to it's website, "LEED Fellows would become part of an extraordinary class of leading professionals distinguished by their years of experience and contributions to the standards of practice and body of knowledge for achieving continuous improvement in the green building field."

Other changes to the LEED accreditation program include eligibility requirements for all levels of the exam system and the maintenance of credentials to ensure LEED professionals maintain a current knowledge base and understanding of green building practices. For more information visit http://www.gbci.org/.

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Rosemann Wins Design Excellence Award

On Friday, June 26, 2009 Rosemann & Associates, P.C. won an award at the Design Excellence Awards for its work on the Boulevard Apartments Clubhouse in Kansas City, Mo. Kansas City Home Design and CJ-Midwest magazines hosted the second annual event which honored the best architectural and interior designs created in the past year.

Rosemann's design won bronze in the Interiors category for "Best Use of Art" as the design highlights works created by Jeffrey Owen Hanson. Hanson's contemporary creations provided Rosemann with inspiration to create a bold, urban "art gallery" design.

"Walls were painted a pure white making them the perfect background for Jeff's modern art," says Vickie Stewart, ASID. "His story is such an inspirational one that we really wanted his work to take center stage."

Since the age of twelve, Hanson has lived with a genetic disorder known as Neurofibromatosis leaving him with limited sight. Now at the age of fifteen, Hanson creates vibrant, colorful works which he sells and then donates earnings to various charities such as Children's Tumor Foundation, Make-A-Wish Foundation of America and KC Blind All Stars Foundation.

With Hanson's art and other modern works on the walls, Rosemann's design needed to ensure the overall "art gallery" concept remained while providing each space with its own unique identity. With multiple spaces such as a theater, exercise facility, café area and leasing office, flexibility and durability were two core design requirements.

"We thoroughly analyzed functionality with the varying spaces because the building provides a single source for residents to interact and enjoy the offered amenities freely and comfortably," says Stewart.

The space also acts as a promotional tool for inquiring apartment tenants. "One of this property’s main selling points is its location," explains Stewart. "It's minutes from Downtown so we unified an urban, vibrant lifestyle backdrop with the contemporary art."

To convey this unification, Rosemann's designers chose stained concrete floors, track lighting, modern furnishings and finishes to complete the 5,428 sq. ft. building. "Overall the project team was quite pleased with the finished product," says Stewart. "Receiving the Design Excellence Award was sweet icing on the cake."

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NEW, 256 UNIT APARTMENT COMPLEX IN PEVELY NOW COMPLETE

A $22 million workforce housing complex in Pevely, Mo. is now complete thanks to developer and contractor Gundaker Commercial Group and architecture firm Rosemann & Associates, P.C. The 256 unit project known as Pevely Pointe Apartments includes the new construction of eight buildings and sits on a 45 acre site visible from Interstate 55.

With funding provided by Pevely Pointe, L.P. and the Missouri Housing Development Commission, Pevely Pointe Apartments help fill a demand for quality workforce housing in Jefferson County.

The complex consists of one, two and three-bedroom units along with a community clubhouse with business center, swimming pool and fitness area. The clubhouse also provides community children with a venue for multiple after-school programs.

"This is a unique service offered by the property that I haven't seen at other developments," explains Rosemann's Andrew Koenig, AIA. "This is a great example of how Gundaker works to set their developments apart from others."

Rosemann designed the project to maximize square footage by keeping each apartment simple and efficient explains Koenig. "Units are open and inviting," he says. "The real challenge was making a difficult site with a steep drop in elevation usable; a great amount of time and money was spent prepping the site for construction."

Another hardship occurred just one month before completion. During the final structure's construction, a fire took place completely destroying it. "The project team was devastated by the setback," says Koenig. "But we persevered and now Pevely has an attractive, affordable housing community that they can proudly call home."

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Ribbon Cutting Marks Another Successful Project Completion

Yesterday, Mayor Sylvester Caldwell of Pine Lawn, Missouri along with members of the development partnership kicked off the grand opening of Stratford Manor by a ceremonial ribbon cutting.

Recently completed by Gundaker Commercial Group and the Housing Authority of St. Louis County, the project was designed by Rosemann & Associates, P.C. and was provided partial funding through the Missouri Housing Development Commission.

The completion of Stratford Manor successfully integrates independent senior living apartments into an existing multifamily, affordable housing community. The $5.2 million project is the third and final phase of the C.S. Bond Apartments Redevelopment located in North St. Louis.

To read the project's formal press release click on this link.

Stratford Manor Photos

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Making Green Possible for All

by Nancy Rodney, AIA, LEED ® AP

Currently, sustainable development or “green” architecture holds a popular place in the developer imagination. Constructing better buildings that save on energy and operation costs, use fewer resources to build, and pollute less during construction and during use are often high priority goals. At the same time, the popular wisdom is that "building green" is expensive. Rosemann's goal is to educate developers and show how building green doesn't mean digging into one's pocket book.

While it's true many sustainable options are pricy, our research shows truly sustainable architecture is – at its heart – smart design. Careful selection of systems and materials go a long way toward providing energy savings, reduced maintenance, and less waste. For example, selective site development and reducing a building's impact on the land can result in a decrease of resource consumption as well as less time and money spent on building and site maintenance.

Careful selection of the appropriate sustainability methodology is also important. Aside from the USGBC's LEED program, there are numerous others that have been developed to assist developers in achieving sustainability goals. Rosemann has researched and reviewed many of these and in a recent affordable senior housing project had the opportunity to fine tune a selected sustainability methodology.

Enterprise Green Communities (EGC) was the first national green building program focused entirely on affordable housing. Its goal of making the transition to a greener future for affordable housing has offered assistance in the form of grants, loans, tax-credit equity, training and technical assistance. The program recognizes affordable housing developers have limited resources but desire a more healthful, economical and sustainable sense of place for their residents.

SUSTAINABILITY ON A SHOESTRING

Jennings Senior Apartments, located in the City of Jennings, is being developed by the Regional Housing and Community Development Alliance (RHCDA) in conjunction with the Alexian Brothers. The City of Jennings has seen developmental decline over the past 30 years and is filled with small homes occupied by older seniors of modest means. RHCDA is a not-for-profit organization specializing in neighborhood revitalization and was recognized by the City of St. Louis as "Developer of the Year" for the complementary development of North Market Place Apartments. Since then, RHCDA has continued development in the area specifically on the Crown Square project.

Nearing completion, the Rosemann designed project is a 27 building, mixed-use redevelopment of historic residential, apartment and commercial buildings anchored by the famous Crown Candy Company. Crown Square was financed in part by Enterprise Community Partners, Inc. using New Market Tax Credits and providing predevelopment financing. This previous relationship provided a good foundation for review of EGC "green" funding options for Jennings Senior Apartments. RHCDA has developed many mixed income projects that embrace the qualities of EGC, but Jennings is the first where they have sought voluntary certification.

The development will create an "Aging in Place" campus by combining senior care services and affordable housing on one site. This master planned, phased campus uses the existing P.A.C.E. Senior Care Center as the site's focal point. Outside of the amenities offered by P.A.C.E., the apartments will be located in a mature neighborhood with a good walking relationship to various other community services.

The project was designed as a congregate-style independent senior living residence with 50 apartments and amenity space for group activities and family gatherings. Rosemann used mechanical and electrical solutions that minimized energy use and were supported by a carefully designed building envelope and chose materials that allow the best use of resources. The site's redevelopment plan meets the EGC's Smart Site goals and will create a "walk-able" neighborhood with multiple transportation choices, making it a perfect site for seniors who often no longer drive. When complete, Jennings Senior Apartments will be the first EGC community in Missouri.

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