The Depot Walk, City of Orange

By:  Nancy Ayala & Megan Balderrama

Our Case Study research was on The Depot Walk which is located in the City of Orange. The Depot Walk project was created by USGBC chapter which adopted many of the sustainable green building and development practices by using a variety of recyclable and renewable products and makes it more eco-friendly to the environment. USGBC used the idea of using five key areas of human and environmental health in these apartment lofts which include: sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection and indoor environmental quality.

The Depot Walk is LEED certified homes which were built to help preserve our environment.  It is actually the first LEED certified residential development in Orange County.  Located in the historic Old Town Orange, the Depot Walk is just walking distance to a variety of restaurants, art galleries, and antique shops in the Orange Circle.  It is only within four miles to the Honda Center, Disneyland, Angel Stadium, and The Block at Orange.  Depot Walk got its name for being in such close proximity to these shops and being right next to the Orange Metrolink train station. (Fig.1- walking distance from metro link)

This lowers the usage of commuting by car which reduces their greenhouse gas emissions and offers a quick commute to Los Angeles and San Diego.  As partners, we believe that this project had good intention regarding fuel emissions because with the gas prices nowadays its costly to commute on a daily basis, especially to either one of these areas. The downside of that is that you have to live with the noise of the metro link.      

The Depot Walk was constructed by the Olson Company and designed by WHA (William Hezmalhalch Architects).  The philosophy of WHA is “best characterized as a seamless integration of physical land planning and cutting-edge architectural design that is tailored to the land, environment, community, consumer-market and our client’s objective.”  Each townhouse is either two-story or three-story and between 1,227 and 2,010 square feet.  They include a two-car attached garage and private patio made of concrete.  This allows water to run through the surface straight to the ground below which reduces water runoff in the storm drains.  (see fig.2 below)

(fig.2)

There are 32 units in the Depot Walk consisting of 10 different floor plans.  Bamboo and cork floors were chosen for their renewable qualities; and CesarStone countertops in the kitchen and bathrooms which are composed of 90% raw materials.  Cork floors are a naturally renewable product that also helps with the sound acoustics of a space.  This was a good choice for this project since these homes are attached to another.  Ventilation and exhaust systems were built to minimize heat loss and particulates in the airs. Recycled brick is used in some of the walls of the town homes and mezzanine areas. 

Dual pane windows made with 20% recycled aluminum and LowE2 glass increase the insulation in order to keep the homes cooler during the summer and warmer during the winter.  Solar panels span over the roof of each townhome that provide up to 50% of their electricity. Although, the initial price to install solar panels is high, they provide a free source of electricity and over time they pay off.  Residents even have the ability to see the exact percentage of electricity being used from these solar panels.

 During construction, between Spring 2007 and Fall 2008, waste levels remained below 10% for the entire project.  This is an incredible feat for a project built from the bottom up. The landscape provided uses low to moderate amounts of water and the irrigation system is linked to the local weather which means it is only used when necessary.  The trees placed on the South side provide shade to the units thus reducing energy costs for cooling the homes. The trees are also placed to shade concrete and asphalt, which tend to store and reflect the sun's heat.

In the bathrooms dual flush toilets are used which can reduce the amount of water used per year by more than 60%.  Another way water usage is reduced is with low flow shower heads and faucets with low flow aerators made by Kohler.  This alone, can reduce the water usage by 20-30%.  Tankless water heaters provide hot water to the units instead of the traditional water heaters.  These are efficient, however, not very economical.  Electrical outlets are needed, as well as gas pipes and a different ventilation system. This can be around four times the cost of storage tank models. It is also recommended that these tankless heaters be serviced at least once a year by a certified technician. Last and not least, The Depot walk practices a non-toxic termite control to make the environment be more sustainable and healthy.

Overall, the materials and products used to build these homes were successful in helping to create a sustainable indoor and outdoor living environment.  So much so, that they are LEED certified Silver.

Resources:

http://www.greenhousingdevelopments.com/details/California/Depot%20Walk

http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/appliances/heating-cooling-and-air/water-heaters/tankless-water-heaters/overview/tankless-water-heaters-ov.htm

http://www.ocloftguide.com/loft-guide/lofts-in-orange/depot-walk.html

http://www.wharchitects.com/