SOLARA

The first apartment community in California to be fully powered by the sun.

@ 13406 Community Road, Poway (San Diego County)

Completed: 2007 (new construction)

This groundbreaking, mixed-use development created 56 affordable apartments and a commercial office building. Designed and developed before the existence of the LEED for Homes program, SOLARA is recognized nationally for its comprehensive sustainable design. CHW first overcame regulatory barriers to building and financing a solar photovoltaic system that served individual apartments, and later helped to change those regulations. SOLARA is partially sited on a FEMA-mapped 100-year flood zone, adjacent to a FEMA-designated engineered floodway. CHW overcame challenging site conditions with a cost-effective solution that placed a promenade atop a 425 foot retaining wall at the floodway, allowing an additional 12 apartments in the design.


Highlights:

  • First California Zero Energy New Home (ZENH), pioneering financing for photovoltaic and other sustainable systems
  • Located in a SANDAG Smart Growth suburban node, close to a library, schools, recreation facilities, shopping, public transit, and employment
  • Connects resident families to Poway’s highly ranked school system
  • Community room with kitchen and computer lab, and kinetic recycled art
  • Reduced greenhouse gases by 95% compared to a neighboring complex, equivalent to planting 5400 trees or taking 300 cars off the road annually
  • Resident success supported by CHW’s on-site Achieve resident services

Awards:

  • Urban Land Institute, “Award of Excellence – The Americas,”2008 (national)
  • Pacific Coast Builders Conference, “Gold Nugget Grand Award, Affordable,”2008
  • Affordable Housing Tax Credit Coalition,“Charles L. Edson Tax Credit Excellence Award,”2007 (national)