Colorado Court Housing facts for kids
Colorado Court Housing is a unique apartment building in Santa Monica, California. It has 44 homes and was designed by Pugh + Scarpa. This building was the first multi-family housing project in the United States to get a "Gold" certification from the United States Green Building Council (USGBC) for being super eco-friendly.
It sits right at a main exit from the Santa Monica freeway. This makes Colorado Court a welcoming sight to the city. The five-story building is almost 100% energy neutral. This means it produces nearly all the energy it needs! It's a great example of how to build green homes in a city. It also shows how different groups can work together to help the community.
The building's design helps it stay cool and bright naturally. Its shape and how it faces the sun and wind are carefully planned. Because of this, most of the building does not need air conditioning. The windows are also designed to let in lots of light and fresh air. Special shades and window glass help block too much sun on hot sides of the building.
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Colorado Court: A Super Green Home
This amazing building was finished in November 2002. It is a five-story building with 44 homes. It earned a "Gold" rating from the U.S. Green Building Council. This shows how well it uses green building practices.
How Colorado Court Makes Its Own Energy
Colorado Court uses cool technology to create its own power. It has a natural gas turbine system. This system makes electricity and also heats the building's water. Think of it like a mini power plant just for the building!
The building also has solar panels on its roof and walls. These panels capture sunlight to make even more electricity. During the day, if the building makes extra power, it sends it to the city's power grid. At night, it can pull power back from the grid if needed. This means the building uses clean energy that doesn't pollute the air.
Keeping Cool Naturally
The building is designed to use nature's air conditioning. Its three sections reach out to catch the breezes. This helps fresh air flow through every apartment. Most of the windows face north and south. The south side has special fins and solar panels that act like shades.
Smart Water Use
Colorado Court also helps manage rainwater. It collects rain from the entire city block behind it. This water goes into special underground areas. The soil then naturally cleans the water as it slowly soaks back into the ground. This stops dirty water from flowing into Santa Monica Bay.
Inside the Green Apartments
The homes inside Colorado Court are also very energy efficient. The windows are double-glazed and filled with a special gas called krypton. This helps keep heat in during winter and out during summer. The walls have recycled cellulose insulation. This insulation makes the walls much better at blocking heat than regular walls.
Even the appliances are super efficient. The refrigerators use very little electricity. Light switches have motion sensors. This means lights turn off automatically when no one is around. Bright, energy-saving fluorescent lights are used throughout the building.
Awards for Green Design
Colorado Court Housing has won many awards for its smart and green design. These awards show how important and successful the project has been.
- 2004 Exhibit at the National Building Museum, Washington, DC
- 2003 National AIA Honor Award for Design Excellence
- 2003 National AIA “COTE” Top Ten Green Building Award
- 2003 National AIA PIA Award for Design Excellence
- 2003 AIACC Honor Awards for Design Excellence
- 2003 LA/AIA Honor Awards for Design Excellence
- 2003 Rudy Bruner Award for Urban Excellence, Silver Medal
- 2002 BHS&F World Habitat Award Finalist
- 2001 Westside Prize for Urban Design
