Rosa Gardens | Brooks + Scarpa

Rosa Gardens is a 57-unit affordable apartment building consisting of 1, -2, 3- and 4-bedroom family units with a common laundry room, community room and other family amenities on 4.5 acres of previously developed land. The project is certified under LEED for Homes with a “GOLD” rating. Rosa Gardens distinguishes itself from most conventionally developed projects in that it incorporates energy efficient measures that exceed standard practice, optimize building performance, and ensure reduced energy use during all phases of construction and occupancy. The planning and design of the project emerged from close consideration and employment of passive solar design strategies. These strategies include: locating and orienting the building to control solar cooling loads; shaping and orienting the building for exposure to prevailing winds; shaping the building to induce buoyancy for natural ventilation; designing windows to maximize day lighting; shading south facing windows and minimizing west-facing glazing; designing windows to maximize natural ventilation; shaping and planning the interior to enhance daylight and natural air flow distribution. While California has the most stringent energy efficient requirements in the USA, Rosa Gardens incorporates numerous sustainable features that exceed state mandated Title 24 energy measures by more than 30%. The building is loaded with energy-saving and environmentally benign or "sustainable" devices. Materials conservation and recycling were employed during construction by requiring all waste to be hauled to a transfer station for recycling. The overall project achieved more than a 75% recycling rate. Specifying carpet with a high-recycled content, insulation made from recycled newspapers, and all-natural linoleum flooring also emphasized resource conservation. The project also uses compact fluorescent lighting throughout the building, insulation made from recycled material and double-pane windows. Each apartment will be equipped with watersaving dual flush toilets and many other energy conserving devices.