PITTSBURGH, March 2, 2017 – Oxford Development Company and its partners today announce that the 300-unit The Yards at 3 Crossings apartment complex in the Strip District neighborhood of the City of Pittsburgh has received LEED® Gold certification. The LEED rating system, developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), is the foremost program for buildings, homes, and communities that are designed, constructed, maintained, and operated for improved environmental and human health performance.
“Our philosophy with multifamily projects is to create sustainable communities with their own individual identities,” said Steve Guy, President and CEO, Oxford Development Company. “With a great project team we were able to exceed our certification expectations for this project and provide residents with a safe, healthy dwelling in a fun and active neighborhood.”
The Yards achieved LEED Gold certification for implementing practical and measurable strategies and solutions aimed at achieving high performance in: sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection and indoor environmental quality.
“Following on the heels of Hot Metal Flats, it’s great to have The Yards as another local example of Oxford’s green building leadership in the multifamily sector,” said Aurora Sharrard, PhD, LEED AP BD+C, executive director, Green Building Alliance. “They continue to demonstrate that healthy and high performing buildings are in demand as a place where people not only work and learn, but live and play.”
The Yards achieved credits necessary for LEED Gold certification by implementing design, construction and operational sustainabilty strategies through a dynamic project team including:
- Rycon Construction – Construction Manager
- McCaffery Interests – Property Manager
- WTW Architects – Architect of Record
- Loftus Engineers – Mechanical Engineer
- Langan – Civil Engineer
- LaQuatra Bonci – Landscape Architect
- Z-Tech Consulting – Building Commissioning Agent
- evolveEA – Sustainability Consultants
Through the design and construction efforts of the team, the project expects a significant reduction in energy consumption by approximately 20 percent and water use by 40 percent as compared to a similar baseline project.
The building construction practices led the project to divert more than 90 percent of the waste generated by the on-site construction activities to destinations other than landfills. Nearly 26 percent of the building materials purchased for the project were manufactured and extracted from regional sources and nearly 13 percent of the total building materials were manufactured using recycled materials.
As a brownfield development project in an urban location, The Yards reuses a piece of land in close proximity to the riverfront which had been damaged by the previous industrial uses at the site. The Oxford team completed full demolition and site preparation activities and led the project through the Act 2 process from start to finish, including remediation.
Access to public and alternative transportation methods and connection to community scored high with the project’s location in the vibrant Strip District neighborhood. Priority on-site parking is provided for energy-efficient vehicles and electric vehicle charging stations support reduction of the impact of fossil fuels.
Landscaped green roofs top the common areas while one of the largest array of solar panel in Pittsburgh lines the roofs of the apartment wings.
Low VOC (Volatile Organic Compounds) adhesives, flooring and sealants were used to improve indoor air quality; LED lighting, ENERGY STAR® appliances and water-saving fixtures help reduce use of natural resources, and each floor includes separate recycling chutes.
The most beneficial measures for residents have been taken in the design, construction and maintenance of the interior spaces. The building provides an improved indoor environment for tenants through the incorporation of low emitting paints, sealants and flooring materials.
These materials incorporate a minimum amount of VOC, which have proven to have long-term health impacts, especially in residential settings. Maintenance is undertaken utilizing green and sustainable products. The spaces were also designed to provide a significant amount of natural daylight in living spaces – The Yards has provided direct line of sight views from nearly 99 percent of all regularly occupied spaces.
The Yards is currently leasing studio, 1-bedroom, and 2-bedroom urban style apartments ranging from 550 square feet up to 1,280 square feet. Features include oversized gathering places including a one-acre backyard, a fitness center, pool with hot tub, fire-pit, and planned riverfront trail access. Leasing inquiries should visit theyardsapts.com.