Guess what city is about to become home to the first LEED certified multi-family development in Arkansas?
If you guessed Fayetteville, pat yourself on the back. You were right.
The new apartment complex, Eco Modern Flats, is a project of local real-estate man Jeremy Hudson of MC3 Multifamily, and Portland developers Bob Stevenson and Bob Dant.
The project began when Hudson and his partners purchased the Glendale Apartments building at 130 S. Hill Street with plans to renovate the 40-year-old complex. The idea to create modern, energy-effecient, eco-friendly apartments wasn’t the initial goal with the project, but became an opportunity discovered during the remodeling process.
“Basically, we started with a concrete box with virtually no insulation in the walls, not much insulation on the roof, single pane windows, etc.,” said Hudson. “We realized that the things we wanted to do to shore up the construction became an opportunity to go for the LEED certification, so we ran with it.”
Eco Modern Flats / Staff photo
Hudson enlisted local architect Chris Baribeau of Modus Studio to begin exploring the potential of the complex. Baribeau took the blank canvases of the concrete-block building, and set out to create a modern living space unlike anything else in Fayetteville.
“The building already had great bones, and the palette of materials is simple and structurally sound,” Baribeau said. “It lends itself perfectly to modern and sustainable design.”
The building will utilize environmental features such as a solar hot water system, innovative “Mini-Split” heating and cooling units, soy-based insulation from local company Biobased Technologies, landscaping with native plants, VOC-free paints, and rainwater harvesting for landscape-irrigation. The complex will also offer recycling for each of the 96 apartments, something not available in most multi-family dwellings in Fayetteville.
Hudson said he feels that the centralized location of the property will also promote walkability, as well as bikeability with the close proximity to the Fayetteville trail system.
“We really want to promote a pedestrian-friendly and bike-friendly environment for our residents,” Hudson said. “With the property being so close to the trails, downtown and the university, that’s going to be big for us.”
Another interesting thing about the project is the all-inclusive pricing structure for renting the apartments. The $725 monthly rental price also includes all utility fees as well as cable television and high speed internet access for each of the 600-square-foot units.
Hudson said that doesn’t mean setting up a wireless router somewhere, and hoping for the best.
“Each unit will have its own dedicated modem just like you would if you had your own service,” he said.
If all goes well with Eco Modern Flats, Hudson said the project could become a prototype for future greenovation programs in other parts of Fayetteville.
The first 24 units will be move-in ready beginning in early January. The remainder of the complex is expected to be completed in late 2011.
More information
Website: ecomodernflats.com
Facebook: facebook.com/ecomodernflats
Architectural Renderings: modusstudio.com
Interior photos from a model unit at Eco Modern Flats
Courtesy photos: Eco Modern Flats Facebook Page
This is absolutely fantastic and lovely. I am so proud of everyone involved!
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I wish I had such nice furnishings when I was in college!
Even more noteworthy is that they are attempting contemporary modern on the scale of a 96-unit apartment complex. Kudos. Come fix up my ugly house next.
Most apartments in the student slums look like the Brady Bunch threw up inside. My student apartment life was dark brown plastic cabinets molded in fake wood grain, malaria-colored linoleum, wobbly harvest gold toilets, and black forests of mold. This is a refreshing concept.
Not the cheapest place to live, but vanity has a price, even when greenwashed.
Looks fantastic. What a refreshing change from the typical brown carpeted Lindsay Units. Clean, modern, and a good use of space. Great job!
Mini splits drastically lose heating capacity below 40 degrees… and I don’t see baseboard heat. Hopefully the tenants won’t freeze! They are efficient at cooling, but aren’t any more efficient than conventional split systems on the market and aren’t that great in terms of noise and comfort. I think I see the unit above the stackable washer/dryer and that is likely the only unit in the apartment… meaning the bedroom may not be comforable. I love the idea, but personally wouldn’t pay near that much in rent for such a small place with inadequate heating and cooling. Sorry, I work in the heating and air business and have been a member of USGBC for years so I had to comment on this. Doing green right is great; doing it wrong just because you want the PR is wrong.
@Me, actually, if the units are insulated well a Mini-Split makes sense. The biggest heating/cooling burden is in the summer, and in the winter months a mini-split plus an efficient space heater is all that will be needed to keep a small space comfortable.
A conventional central heating/cooling system, even the most efficient, would be overkill for an apartment of this size.
A space heater would be very efficient at burning the place down.
There are tons of apartments that size with conventional systems. Even with good insulation and windows, there still is a lot of glass on those outside walls that will chill a person. At 17 degrees outside that mini split will produce virtually no heat. That’s why they should have done some baseboard heat or a high efficiency conventional system IMO. I wouldn’t pay that much to spend winters cuddled up next to a space heater.
“Me” seems like he’s guilty of contempt prior to investigation. As I write this I am sitting in a new apartment (2 years old) in Amsterdam that has lot’s of glazing and only a mini split system for heating. I can assure you that it seems to be a fail comparison to the units in Fayetteville and though it’s 5 degrees Fahrenheit outside it’s quite warm and comfortable inside. I’m supposed to believe that he’s an expert (thanks for sharing your background) and the architects, designers and heating / cooling people involved in this innovative project are all wrong? Come on.
@Ryan, Maybe you’re not familiar with ceramic or oil-filled heaters, or maybe you’re just a klutz or you have a lot of clutter so it’s not safe for you to operate a conventional space heater.
#RusselZone, you can safely ignore Me. He’s a competing professional selling competing (and less efficient) technology. He claims expert status but won’t even provide his real name. He probably has never even been in an ultra-efficient apartment that uses a mini-split. I bet he’s just read the spec sheets and made standard assumptions about apartment efficiencies to “determine” they won’t work.
@ Russellzone:
Is the mini split blowing warm air at 5 degrees outside? If so, then I can assure you it has electric heat or is part of a “variable refrigerant” system that enables units in outer zones to recover heat pulled from units cooling inner zones… which is not a fair comparisson to the unit shown in the picture. Mini splits heat pumps used to have electric heat exactly like standard all electric heat pump split systems, but 95% of them do not any more because switching to R-410 refrigerant made the indoor coils so large that electric heat couldn’t fit in the cabinet without making it very large and ugly. Also, I’m not sure what this particular model’s efficiency is, but these things are typically rated from 13 SEER to 19 SEER… exactly the range you can purchase standard split systems with.
Don’t get me wrong, mini splits have some great applications and I would recommend them for many reasons… I just wouldn’t recommend them in this application without a back up electric heater. Don’t assume that just because it is mini it must be more efficient than a standard system; they just take up less room. Fan energy is part of a unit’s efficiency rating so the high efficienty standard systems are equal. I believe being “green” is good, but I don’t think we should give up comfort AND pay quite a bit more than a standard apartement for it.
Other than the mini split and the price, I think these are absolutely great!
Then why are you coming off as so negative? I don’t know the math & specs that you talk about, but it’s clear also that you don’t know the specifics of their LEED certified project, beyond what we both have read. What I do know, what I’d be willing to bet that these designers (including those involved in the selection of these mini split units were people who were at the top of their field and knew what they were doing. If you’re a professional commenting from your pedestal as a professional, then reveal thyself.
I don’t think @me not providing his name invalidates his points.
@Actually: Actually, I sell the exact product that is in that apartment as well as other brands of mini splits. I don’t deal with the residential market and don’t give a hoot about the business side of this. I also never stated that I am an expert. I just know we get many complaints because design engineers don’t realize that a mini split heat pump without electric heat to back it up will not keep the space comfortable throughout winter. Standard split systems have the exact same problem which is why they have backup electric heat. Where have I once promoted a less efficient technology? The current minimum efficienty for any piece of AC equipment is 13 SEER. There are plenty of mini splits that only hit 13 SEER (the minumim allowed by law!). Many are 16-17 SEER and if you do a quick search, you’ll see that standard split systems are capable of reaching up to 21 SEER (which includes fan energy so they are still overall more efficient).
I googled what this one appears to be and here’s the specs:
General
Nom Cooling Capacity (Btu/h): 9,000
SEER: 19.0
Cool Capacity Range (Btu/h): 3,100 to 11,900
Nom Heating Capacity (Btu/h): 12,000
HSPF: 9.5
Heating COP: 3.6
Heat Capacity Range (Btu/h): 3,100 to 16,500
Refrigerant Type: R410A
De-Hum (Pints/Hr): 5.6
Power Voltage: 208/230V-1Ph-60Hz
Breaker Size: 15A
RLA Cooling/Heating (Amps): 3.3/4.7A
Controls: Wireless Remote
The SEER value for this particular model is impressive at 19. No problems with that. But look at the heating capacity. It goes from 3,100 to 16,500 BTUh. That means when it is over 40 degrees outside, it will product 16.5 MBtuh. When it is 17 degrees outside, it will produce only 3.1 MBtuh. That is the equivalent of less than a 1 kW space heater (1 kW = 3.412 MBtuh). Even with great insulation, that is a very low amount of heat for a 600 sqft apartment. If it is able to keep the place comfortable in the winter, then the unit is oversized for other times of the year and isn’t hitting it’s rated efficiency most of the year.
Guys, I am not dissing the green apartment concept! I love green building when it is done right. I’ve only brought up two possible issues; comfort and price.
Ok, I’m done feeding the trolls now… :)
It’s been a long time since I’ve known anyone who lived there, but was that complex already empty before they bought it? If not, what of the current residents?
I heard from a resident currently living there that they were told the rents will increase but all of the utilities and internet access has been rolled into the bill so it sorta balances out. She was looking for a new place, but as far as I could tell everyone was given the option to stay.
Dear Actually,
You’re an unpleasant person.
I’m not a klutz.
Electric space heaters are wildly inefficient fire starters.
The gas ones regularly asphyxiate people.
All of them are crummy band aid solutions for an inadequate primary system.
These apartments are overpriced ripoffs.
Ryan out.