 ASA features apartment amenities like no other apartment complex. The goal has been to provide a sense of community to the people who live in the apartments. As the ASA brochure says, “it feels more like a vertical community, than an apartment complex”. ASA was painstakingly designed to achieve LEED Gold Certification, and follows in the footsteps of Portland’s thoughtful environmental choices. Whether you need a studio, a one bedroom or a two-bedroom flat, a loft with your own private outdoor patio and garden, or a penthouse flat, you’ll enjoy what you have. The complex has a state of the art gym and bicycle facilities, a gorgeous penthouse terrace for lounging and entertaining, and spaces for growing your own vegetables. There is even a guest suite for your out-of-town visitors. ASA is a true gem in modern lifestyle developments. It also is a green community.
For starters, the building has a Building ENERGY STAR rating of 80-99, a remarkable achievement. For energy use and generation, there are lots of things done to earn an excellent green building rating. The energy costs are paid by tenants to encourage conservation. A water and electric heat pump is used. In space heating and cooling, gas furnaces are at least 90 percent efficient. Each unit has a programmable thermostat (multifamily building). For the appliances and equipment, they all meet or exceed ENERGY STAR standards. The windows open to cut on cooling costs as well. In lighting, there are energy efficient lighting fixtures and bulbs. There is also the use of skylights or other day-lighting features. Interestingly, motion sensor controls are used too so that the rooms are lit when occupied in order to save from idle currents.
Water wise practices are used as well. For indoor water use, there are low-flow toilets. Surface water is managed by permeable surface materials, Bioswales, and downspouts are disconnected. To encourage smart water use, there is a rainwater harvesting system (i.e. rain barrels or cistern). Water heating is done using a high efficiency water heater turned down to 120 degrees. Insulated water pipes or tanks are in place to ensure no heat goes wasted.
Building materials have been thought through as well. Low/No VOC interior paint is on the walls. Low/No VOC adhesives or solvents are used throughout the home. Low/No VOC water-based wood finishes are on floors and panels. Rapidly renewable materials (i.e. bamboo, cork) are used in place of conventional flooring. Any other wood is FSC-certified so you can be sure that it came from a sustainably harvested source. Recycled content or salvaged interior finishes (i.e., glass) are throughout each place. In some of the basements, there is exposed concrete as finished floor so no resources are wasted. Recycled content is in carpet or cushions. Carpet Rug Industry has earned the green label (or green label plus). On the exterior, natural wood is used. For the elements that are new construction, the materials are sourced locally. Fiber-cement exterior siding is used. During construction there was a minimized use of materials. Of those, the materials were locally sourced materials or rapidly renewable materials.
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