Susie Q Senior Community Center

By:  Kristiana Burgi

Located in the center of Laguna Beach, the Susie Q Senior Community Center  has become a meeting place for the city’s residents. The community center is not only for senior citizens but also for people of all ages. The focus was to create a place for all ages, “defy stereotypes,” and have everyone come together to become a part of the community.  Built by LPA, the structure represents sustainability as most of LPA's buildings portray. From the outside to the inside, the structure stands “green” with simple lines. The facility contains a lobby and reception as you enter the building, a library room with a fireplace, fitness studios, an art studio, computer lab, game room, conference room, kitchen, storage area and parking garage.

During the construction of the building, fly-ash was incorporated in the concrete. Fly ash is the material remaining from coal-fired electric generating plants. With all of the excess ash from these coal-fired plants, it acts as a recycled element when used with concrete. It reduces segregation, meaning it prevents the ash and concrete from separating. This can increase the strength, and reduce porosity. The use of fly-ash with concrete can also help to prevent the reinforcing steel from deteriorating. Most importantly, it saves water and does not have a big impact on a budget.

Throughout the building there is a lot of structural steel. “Structural steel produced in the United States contains 93.3% recycled steel scrap. At the end of a building’s life, 98% of all structural steel is recycled back into new steel products.” ASIC.Therefore, steel is not only recycled but “multi-cycled” considering it can be recycled more than once. This is called cradle-to-cradle material. Using structural steel protects our natural resources, is durable, and strong in compression and tension. It is also not difficult when modifications are needed and can adapt to changes in the structure.  

Located around the building, the sleek steel windows are dual-glazed windows. They create an insulator to prevent heat from escaping, reducing over fifty percent of heat loss. During the Winter, the windows help retain heat and in the Summer, helps to minimize heat gain. This can greatly lower power bills. The windows can act as a UV light protector, reducing the amount of UV light from entering the building and limits how much it can create the furniture and carpet from fading. Lastly, the dual window provides a sound buffer against outside noises. This was one of the things I was most impressed with being inside the building. Each room felt peaceful and quiet. Every time I stepped outside, I could not believe all the noise that was not able to be heard from inside.

Additional windows include aluminum-clad wood windows. A chemical bond is created between the aluminum and the paint to abstain chalking and fading. Chalking is when paint breaks down and a white powder starts to appear. Fading occurs when UV rays hit the wall with paint and causes the finish to fade.

In the kitchen and the offices, bamboo cabinetry is used. Hard and strong, yet highly renewable and sustainable. Bamboo grows faster than trees and remains intact when the bamboo stalks are stripped. The stalks are cut into strips and then glued together to form boards and planks. Compared to wood, Bamboo does not swell and contract as much. The only downside to bamboo is the costs for transportation. Since it is located in distant areas, the cost to transport it to the site you are working on with me more costly than purchasing a local material.

The flooring contains sustainable carpet choices that consist of a minimum of ten percent recycled content. On the walls, low-emission paints are applied. Low-emission paints help to decrease ozone-depleting contaminants. Low-VOC products behave well in terms of coverage and the ability to clean easily. Water based paints are the easiest to clean with just soap and warm water. By implementing low odor paints, it creates no off-gassing for a clean environment.

 Natural daylight shines through skylights and solar tubes along the roof. The natural light is not only physically beneficial but also emotionally. It is said that daylight can help to promote happiness and productivity. Tubular skylights provide an efficient way to acquire natural lighting. Catching daylight from the roof, it illuminates light through a tubular shaft. “On average, artificial lighting accounts for 40% of a building’s total energy usage… skylights allow artificial lighting to be turned off on average of seventy to eighty percent of the time.” Skylightbenefits. Outside of the building, covered parking provides a cool area bringing down the temperature (because we all know how hot it can get in Southern California).
Around the perimeter of the building and in the Garden, all plants are watered through drip irrigation to conserve water. Inside, the sinks and toilets are labeled as an energy star product.  The center has created a very efficient way to lower water usage.
In the end, the overall project is reported to have recycled at least seventy five percent of any construction waste. I consider the whole project to be a huge success. Not only were all the materials sustainable, you get a tranquil experience inside the building. Every day there is constantly activities going on and people socializing.