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Water Use Reduction Planning Aeon
Water Use Reduction Planning. Image Credit: Aeon

What Water Efficiency Measures Did the Rose Implement?

Water-saving strategies included efficient flow and flush fixtures in the apartments. Modeled water use was 35 gallons per person per day compared with an average of 69.3 gallons per person per day. However, monitoring found that The Rose uses excess water in the spring and summer because of the community garden and the landscaping. The garden uses water drawn from the on-site rainwater collection system or cistern. When the cistern is empty, however, it automatically switches to city water without signaling the change. 

Outside the building, a stormwater management system integrates natural features on the site with an underground retention system to reduce water quantity and improve the quality of water leaving the site. 

Three rain gardens—planted with native sedges, coneflower, and dogwood—capture the east roofs' water. The underground system takes on the rest of the water, with a water quality unit removing sediment, oil, and trash before the water reaches the Mississippi River. 

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What Lessons Learned Did The Rose Provide?

Simplify Heating and Cooling in the Future

In retrospect, Arthur says, a simpler HVAC system would have helped residents modify their heating and cooling preferences with greater energy efficiency. "The system is highly computerized and is more complicated than it needs to be," he says. "In future projects, we're learning more toward a Passive House and getting the envelope right instead of going with fancy computerized system." In the meantime, Aeon has installed utility meters in the units, so residents pay for the utilities they use and see the benefits of sustainable habits. 

Focus on Indoor Air Quality Was Well Worth It

Among the strategies The Rose got right, Arthur says, are the building envelope and the team's focus on healthy materials, finishes, and furnishings that contribute to healthy indoor air. "Materials used in traditional construction often have negative impacts on resident health, and there is inequity in the use of healthy building practices," Arthur says. "Healthy indoor-air quality practices are often inaccessible for low-income people and affordable housing providers. We have helped make these practices more accessible by researching and expanding the list of sustainable, healthy building materials." 

The Project Benefited the Multi-Family Development Industry 

Research completed during the construction of The Rose has influenced the practices of the Healthy Building Network, Green Communities Minnesota Overlay, and MSR. "We've shared our lessons learned in the United States and internationally to make sustainability a common practice in affordable housing," Arthur says. 

We have helped educate our funders on the impact of innovation in affordable housing and have proven outcomes to support future investment. This has paved the way for more developers to push for innovative sustainability practices. The healthy living strategies, equity lens, and sustainable strategies used in The Rose have also leveled the playing field for all populations.

Article By

Camille LeFevre

Camille LeFevre is an architecture and design writer based in the Twin Cities.

Camille LeFevre