Courtesy of 2015 AIA Housing Awards

• Provides a home support services and rehabilitation for the homeless and mentally disabled population
• Provides 46 studio apartments of permanent affordable housing
• Includes ground level commercial/retail space and subterranean parking
• Incorporates energy efficient measures that exceed standard practice, optimize building performance, and ensure reduced energy use during all phases of construction and occupancy
• Planning and design of Step Up emerged from consideration and employment of passive design strategies
  • Locating and orienting the building to control solar cooling loads
  • Shaping and orienting the building for exposure to prevailing winds
  • Shaping the building to induce buoyancy for natural ventilation
  • Designing windows to maximize daylighting
  • Shading south facing windows and minimize west-facing glazing
  • Utilizing low flow fixtures and storm water management
  • Shaping and planning the interior to enhance daylight and natural air flow distribution
• These passive strategies make this building 50% more efficient than a conventionally designed structure