LEED Benefits

The Beacon Clarendon Apartments- LEED Benefits and Overview

At ZRS, we are committed to reducing our environmental footprint and enhancing our residents well-being by developing environmentally sustainable communities. The Beacon Clarendon was designed and constructed to the standards of the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating system, a national green building standard developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC).

Our broader neighborhood is a model of sustainable urban mixed-use development putting you within a few minutes walk of work, play, and home. The community will include shops, restaurants, offices, an amphitheater, and connect to bicycle and jogging trails and athletic fields.

The Beacon Clarendon has reduced its environmental footprint through the use of energy- and water-efficient equipment and implementation of ongoing sustainable operational practices. By living here, you will pay less for utilities and have the opportunity to live a low-impact, sustainable lifestyle.

Clubhouse and Amenities

We use only green, non-toxic, biodegradable cleaning products in the building, which are better for the environment and your health. When you decide to move in you will receive a resident handbook outlining simple measures to reduce your environmental impact.

Reducing exposure of residents, community staff, and pest management personnel to other potentially hazardous chemicals, we ve implemented an Integrated Pest Management Program that minimizes the use of pesticides.

For all community members health and well-being, all our buildings are smoke-free.

Site/Landscaping

The Beacon Clarendon s site selection and environmentally sensitive design were intended to reduce the community s environmental footprint. During construction, we reduced the strain on local waterways and adverse effects on air quality by preventing and controlling potentially damaging construction pollution. We also used construction materials made from recycled content, reducing the use of limited natural resources.

The buildings have green roofs, reducing air conditioning needs and retaining more storm water on site. Green roofs also help mitigate the area s urban heat island effect, moderating temperatures in the summer months and improving your comfort.

Location/Transportation/Parking

The Beacon Clarendon is less than a ten minute walk from two Metro subway stations.

All of the community s parking spaces are located under cover in the parking garage. This preserves open space and minimizes the use of heat-absorbing asphalt.

Covered bicycle storage spaces (located in the parking garage) are available to residents, facilitating more convenient alternative commuting and an active, healthy lifestyle.

New residents at The Beacon Clarendon are provided with pre-loaded SmarTrip fare cards to encourage use of nearby transit options.

The project has a program to encourage residents to utilize a car sharing service.

The Beacon Clarendon s location makes it convenient for you to access what you need. You can easily walk from the property to local stores, businesses, and services.

Model Unit

Overall, the project was designed to use 6% less energy and 30% less water than similar communities built to code standards. Here are some of the energy-efficient and water-conserving features of our apartment homes and how they can translate into real dollar savings on our residents utility bills.

• ENERGY STAR-qualified refrigerators, dishwashers, and washing machines use 20-30% less energy than conventional appliances.
• Programmable thermostats allow you to scale back heating and cooling during certain hours.
• Compact fluorescent lights (CFLs) and LED use 75% less energy than standard incandescent lamps.
• High efficiency water heaters installed in each unit use 4.5% less energy than conventional units.
• The use of efficient plumbing fixtures will reduce the water consumption in your home by approximately 30%.
• Highly efficient windows, insulation, and other technologies ensure a tight building envelope.

To improve indoor environmental quality, we have used materials with very low potential to emit Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC), reducing the chance of negative health effects such as headaches and allergies.

Our buildings were designed to maximize health and comfort. Heating, cooling, and ventilation systems were designed to improve indoor air quality and thermal comfort.

Interior spaces were designed to maximize natural light and views to the outdoors. Because of this, there may be enough natural light during the day to avoid having to turn on the lights.

The building s trash rooms contain containers for recycling.