Sustainability--From Korea's Songdo IBD to Denver's Belmar New Urbanism

Green Hyundai-Kia Motors initiatives that I've been involved or following for years, and high profile Green projects like Songdo IBD, not to mention providing studies to clients on Korean solar and wind power... make sustainability important to me--BCW has offices in SoCal, Denver, and Seoul, but currently I live in Belmar, too.  The community is a model for new urbanism-- something that peaks my interest as a cultural historian and as a researcher-writer. Maybe topic for a new book.

Sustainability Initiatives - Fact Sheet

Belmar, developed by Continuum Partners, is a 22-block mixed use development on the site of the former Villa Italia Mall in Lakewood, Colorado.  They are dedicated to energy-use reduction and the responsible use of limited natural resources.

             Solar Power

• 8,300 solar panels will be installed on the roof of three parking garages (installation scheduled for August 2008). The 1.7 megawatt array will generate approximately 2.3 million kilowatt hours of clean electrical energy per year. The power output will offset approximately 5% of the total Belmar power consumption. Solar powered pay-and-display parking kiosks are used to manage 350 on-street parking spaces.           

             Building Design 

• Belmar used the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®) criteria to guide the design and development of many buildings in the project. A three-story mixed use building with office over retail space was the first building of its type in the nation to receive a Silver-level LEED certification.The buildings that house Whole Foods, Mile High Wine & Spirits, and two adjacent mixed use buildings and retail spaces have also subsequently received a Silver-level LEED certification

             Urban Wind Farm

• The Belmar district also features a small urban wind farm with 14 turbines powering lighting for a large parking lot.   The wind farm has the potential to generate 700-900 kilowatt hours of electric power per mont

              Tree program

•  Approximately 130 mature trees from the original site were transplanted to a temporary nursery site and replanted.

               Lighting

•   All outdoor lighting has been designed in cooperation with the International Dark Skies Association.  

                Recycling

• Belmar has worked with Waste Management to implement an expanded single-stream recycling program for all residents as well as office and retail tenants.
  
• Continuum Partners has also spent in excess of $4 million in cleaning up water and soil contamination on site (PCE, PCBs, hydrocarbons) as well as removing asbestos and hazardous materials from the former buildings prior to demolition and recycling.
  
• Much of the construction material from the demolition of the original Villa Italia mall structure has been recycled. 

                Pedestrian and Transit Orientation

• The project has been designed to reduce automobile reliance and to promote pedestrian and transit activity.
  
• There are multiple regional bus routes that circulate through the site with multiple stops (previously no routes
  penetrated the 104 acre site).
  
  
  Housing
  
• All on-site housing has been built with high quality, sustainable materials and energy conservation technology, ensuring high levels of energy efficiency and green building.
  

Source : http://www.lakewood-colorado.org/PDFs/Belmar-GreenFactSheet2.pdf