Green Building Success in Albuquerque & Santa Fe, New Mexico (3 Examples of Sustainable Construction at Work)

New Mexico is home to some noteworthy green building projects that combine sustainability with style and affordability.

In cities like Albuquerque and Santa Fe, we’ve worked with developers and contractors who have embraced the challenge of creating buildings that are not only environmentally friendly but also meet the needs of the local community.

In this blog post, we will explore three successful green building projects in New Mexico, showcasing their unique features and the challenges they overcame to achieve LEED Platinum certification.

Platinum Apartments in Albuquerque: The Best of Luxury and Sustainability

Platinum Apartments, Albuquerque New Mexico

Located at 4100 Silver Ave SE, Albuquerque, the Platinum Luxury Apartments are a prime example of luxury and sustainability coming together. This four-story apartment building features 75 units, including a Yoga/Pilates studio and a community pool table room. The rooftop also boasts a BBQ/Bar area for residents to enjoy.

The project’s design aimed to attract young professionals who value both luxury and sustainability. Through a highly insulated envelope, mini-split HVAC, and a small PV array, the Platinum Apartments achieved an impressive HERS rating of 59. Green Insight’s scope of work included LEED for Homes credit verification, testing during construction, energy efficiency recommendations, and more.

Despite the challenge of a target budget of $110 per square foot, the development team found cost-effective solutions. They used a wood-framed structure with insulation/sheathing similar to what would now be known as a ZIP wall, mini-splits, on-demand water heaters, and a small PV system to power the common areas. The results were remarkable: LEED Platinum Certification, along with tax credits and rebates from various entities.

Villa Alegre Apartments: A Green Oasis in the Heart of Santa Fe

Villa Alegre Apartments Santa Fe New Mexico

Villa Alegre Apartments, constructed by Santa Fe Civic Housing Authority, reflects the city’s commitment to creating beautiful homes and luxury living experiences while lessening the carbon footprint during construction and beyond. With a goal to create a sustainable project with a minimal environmental footprint, all stakeholders had a common goal: to create a sustainable building project with the smallest possible environmental footprint.

The project consists of 111 LEED® for Homes Platinum units, providing affordable housing for families and seniors in Santa Fe. To achieve this goal, Villa Alegre Apartments had to overcome several challenges. However, the project focuses on energy and water efficiency by incorporating a geothermal exchange system, a 240-kilowatt photovoltaic system, ENERGY STAR windows, high-efficiency lighting fixtures, and blown insulation.

Villa Alegre Apartments’ upgrades resulted in all units achieving a 32 or better Home Energy Rating System (HERS) index score and ENERGY STAR qualification. These achievements go beyond sustainability. The public supported it, and the project rehabilitated the downtown Santa Fe area while exceeding the 2030 Challenge.

Villa Alegre Apartments in Santa Fe, a pioneering project, showcases the value of LEED certification in creating truly green and sustainable projects. From affordable housing to a luxury living experience, this project is a testament to the city’s commitment to sustainability.

Hotel Clovis: A Unique Adaptive Reuse Project in Clovis, New Mexico

Hotel Clovis, Clovis, New Mexico

Located at 201 N Main St in Clovis, New Mexico, Hotel Clovis is an exceptional example of an adaptive reuse project that combines historic preservation with sustainable design. This 9-story historic registered hotel has been transformed into an affordable housing project, featuring rental lofts and commercial space. The project faced challenges due to environmental degradation and historic registration, but innovative solutions were implemented to overcome these obstacles.

The Hotel Clovis project stands out for its unique style and commitment to historic preservation. The building, originally constructed in 1929, was at risk of demolition before Tierra Realty Trust acquired the development rights. Closed-cell insulation was added to the envelope without altering its historic character. Trickle vents for unit ventilation were incorporated into the windows, and a whole-building ventilation system was installed. Nanogel was also added to the plaster in the historic ballroom to achieve required insulation levels.

Hotel Clovis prioritized sustainability and energy efficiency, earning it LEED Platinum certification. A photovoltaic system was installed on the roof, generating electricity to power the hotel’s common spaces and the new buildings. Additionally, the project incorporated passive solar orientation in 80% of the units to leverage natural heating and lighting.

The successful transformation of Hotel Clovis into a LEED Platinum affordable housing project showcases the value of adaptive reuse and historic preservation. It serves as a shining example for future projects, combining sustainability and style in a unique and memorable way.

Green Building Success in New Mexico

These three green building projects in New Mexico showcase the incredible success and innovation that can be achieved in sustainable construction. From luxury apartments in Albuquerque to affordable housing in Santa Fe and adaptive reuse in Clovis, each project overcame unique challenges to achieve LEED Platinum certification.

Not only have these buildings contributed to the development of a greener New Mexico, but they have also set inspiring examples for future sustainable construction projects across the state.

Want to find the perfect solution for your sustainable living project?

If so, contact us today. We would love to discuss your project and your goals while showing you how Green Insight can help you achieve green building success. Get in touch

Affordable Green Housing in Santa Fe: Green Community Villa Alegre

Located just blocks from Santa Fe’s historic plaza, Villa Alegre is proud to offer its first 111 affordable units that have earned the LEED for Homes Platinum certification. These units are part of phases 1 and 2 of construction and offer beautiful apartment homes as well as homes for seniors complete with an on-site Service Coordinator and a professional management team.

Developed by the Santa Fe Civic Housing Authority, Villa Alegre reflects the city’s commitment to creating beautiful homes and luxury living experiences while lessening the carbon footprint during construction and beyond.

The Project

Breaking ground in June 2010, this project received the highest LEED rating, Platinum, in November 2011. Santa Fe Civic Housing Authority collaborated with Pavilion Construction to create 44 one and two-story buildings that have from 2 to 6 units in each building.

The first phase of the project consisted of 60 family units and a community center. Phase 2 incorporated 50 senior housing units into the community, one caretaker’s unit and another community center.

Green Insight worked extensively with the developer and contractor on the following aspects of the project

  • Enterprise Green Communities
  • LEED for Homes credit verification
  • Testing and QAD review during the construction phase
  • Energy efficiency recommendations
  • Building material assessments
  • Review of construction documents
  • Specifications and project submittals

“LEED gave us better plans, better processes, and better quality at minimal additional costs to the project.”

– Ed Romero, Executive Director of the Santa Fe Civic Housing Authority

Project Challenges

All stakeholders had a common goal: to create a sustainable building project with the smallest possible environmental footprint. However, not all stakeholders had the same thoughts when it came to how to achieve this level of sustainability.

Given Santa Fe’s climate as a high desert environment with less than 12 inches of rain a year, it was determined that our focus needed to be on energy and water efficiency. This focus would allow us to not only make the best use of the grant funding that was obtained, but it would help us reach our goals the best.

Gaining community support for this project was vital to the success of the project overall. The City of Santa Fe requires a neighborhood meeting when a development of this magnitude is proposed in its city limits. We really wanted to listen to the community members, and we conducted several meetings beyond the city’s requirements.

Our team worked with the project team to advise them on how to achieve their green building goals, facilitating design charrettes and oversight meetings that included the Mayor of Santa Fe, City Council Members, and City Employees among other stakeholders.

Project Solutions

To achieve our goals of focusing on energy efficiency, the project relied heavily on reducing energy by incorporating a geothermal exchange system with ground source heat pumps and a 240-kilowatt photovoltaic system. Energy efficiency is also achieved through ENERGY STAR windows, high-efficiency lighting fixtures, compact fluorescent bulbs, and high-density blown insulation.

All units in the project achieved a 32 or better Home Energy Rating System (HERS) index score and will be ENERGY STAR qualified thanks to incorporating energy-saving technologies such as those listed above as well as instantaneous water heaters, programmable thermostats, high-efficiency furnaces, and air conditioners and mechanical ventilation that enhance indoor air quality.

The Finished Product

All of the focus on energy and water efficiency during construction resulted in the desirable Platinum LEED for Homes certification as well as qualifying for the New Mexico Sustainable Building Tax Credit in Phase 1 and Phase 2 totaling more than $800,000 combined. Additionally, most of Villa Alegre’s units exceeded the 2030 challenge.

The Villa Alegre has not only rehabilitated that area of downtown Santa Fe, but thanks to all green initiatives used in design and construction, all renters are utility bill free.

According to Ed Romero, Executive Director of the Santa Fe Civic Housing Authority, “LEED gave us better plans, better processes, and better quality at minimal additional costs to the project.”

Learn more in our Villa Alegre case study.

Want to find the perfect solution for your sustainable living project?

If so, contact us today. We would love to discuss your project and your goals while showing you how Green Insight can help you achieve green building success. Get in touch

Please contact the Santa Fe Civic Housing Authority for leasing information at 505-470-9423.