GAME CHANGER IN
ENERGY EFFICIENCY
Solera
1956 Lawrence Street, Denver
Solera was the first LEED apartment
building in the Rocky Mountain egion,
receiving a LEED Gold certification.
The marketing efforts during
lease-up keyed on the sustainable
and green aspects of the project,
including no “new car” smell inside
the apartments, the ability to view
minute-by-minute energy use, and
rooftop amenities shaded by a
uniquely-designed solar array.
The project was also the first to
provide a bike maintenance shop,
coined the Velo Room, that included
bike storage and all the tools anyone
could need to repair a bike. It was
one of the first to include a large
solar array, and is pre-piped to store
and reuse storm water to irrigate the
landscaped reas, when it becomes
legal to do so in the state. “Whether
you’re a tree-hugger,
www.aamdhq.org
a dollar-hugger or a health-hugger,
LEED has something for you,”
became the marketing mantra.
But, it was developing community
among residents around sustainability
that made the property unique
and successful.
The developer, David Zucker at
Zocalo Community Development,
has built or is building, a total of
eight LEED communities with a
combined 1,221 units, more
“new-construction” LEED
designations than any other
developer in the state. Most have
achieved a Gold certification.
His first development to receive
a LEED award was River Clay, a
condominium project, and the rest
have been rental communities.
120
2009
14
.535
224
$1.777
number of units
year built
floor plans
acres
density (units/acre)
average rent ($)
www.soleraliving.com
MAY 2018
TRENDS | 21