Press
March 24, 2011
Senior and Disabled Adult HUD Facility Going “Green” Thanks
to $1.2 million
in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act Recovery Funds
Salas O’Brien Providing Clean Energy and Building Efficiency
Engineering Know-how to the Cambrian Center
San Jose, California (Thursday, March 24, 2011) –
Cambrian Center, a senior and disabled adult HUD housing facility, broke
ground today on a $1.2 million dollar clean energy and building efficiency
retrofit engineered by San Jose-based Salas O’Brien Engineers
Inc. The funds were appropriated from the American Recovery and Reinvestment
Act (ARRA) of 2009, to improve the energy efficiency of federally funded
facilities, help stimulate the economy by creating new jobs and saving
existing ones, while investing in long-term economic growth. The initiative
is part of a program to help federal buildings become more energy efficient,
thus reducing operating costs and saving taxpayer’s money.
The groundbreaking will highlight the Cambrian Center’s clean
energy, sustainability and energy efficiency improvements and mark the
beginning of residents’ adopting more environmentally sustainable
practices. This green building retrofit will contain four ClearEdge
Power 5kW fuel cells, a re-engineered “cool roof,” energy
efficient windows and sliding glass doors, and energy efficient refrigerators
in twenty-four of the units. Salas O’Brien Managing Principal,
John Salas said, “the Cambrian Center retrofit represents another
opportunity for us to significantly improve an existing building with
an aged infrastructure and make it both “green” and more
comfortable for its residents.”
In addition to the building efficiency improvements and energy efficient
fixtures, the project will create about forty (40) clean tech, construction
and service related jobs for approximately six months. “The Cambrian
Center retrofit will create green construction jobs while also reducing
long term energy usage and greenhouse emissions,” noted Rep. Zoe
Lofgren (D-San Jose). “Investments in reducing energy consumption,
like the ones being made at the Center, are not only good for our environment,
they will also be good for the Center’s bottom-line. These investments
are about making our country stronger, cleaner, and more energy independent,
and I’m glad to have helped the Cambrian Center be part of this.”
The other major component of the retrofit is a first of its kind program
that will help seniors and residents of the Center learn how to lead
more environmentally sustainable lives. The Center will provide each
resident a practical handbook with tips on decreasing energy usage,
reducing one’s carbon footprint, and smart ways to recycle in
the home. A Resident Sustainability Representative will be appointed
by the Center to help coordinate “green learning” activities
that will teach seniors how to make wise energy decisions. Cambrian
Center Executive Director Ron Anderson said, “not only will our
building become more energy efficient and reduce energy usage, but our
residents will be given the tools to actively participate in the “green
economy.”
Designed and engineered by Salas O’Brien and constructed by SOBe
Construction, Inc., the project consists of the latest energy conservation
measures and energy efficient solutions. The ClearEdge Power fuel cells,
as part of the total energy efficient solution, will supply the building
with approximately 20% of its total energy needs and as much as 50%
of the domestic hot water needs of the residents.
About Cambrian Center
Established in 1981 as a not-for-profit, Cambrian Center has been making
a difference in the lives of the residents and the surrounding community
for 30 years. We provide affordable apartment living for seniors and
disabled adults in a quiet, residential neighborhood near the Los Gatos-San
Jose border. We have 11 studio and 139 one-bedroom apartments, subsidized
under HUD Section 8. Residents pay rent based on their income. Our mission
is to foster a community of qualified individuals living together in
comfortable and affordable housing with access to services that address
their physical, emotional, and social needs. Cambrian Center
About Salas O’Brien Engineers, Inc.
Salas O'Brien (known as the “engineers engineering firm to go
to”) is an energy and infrastructure engineering firm that provides
planning, design and construction management expertise to both private
and public clients. Our services focus on evaluating and designing mechanical,
electrical, and telecommunication systems from basic facilities to complex
campuses. Our difference is an ability to integrate disciplines into
one organization that develops and engineers the most relevant and coordinated
energy systems buildings and facilities. We take an intelligent, holistic
look at energy requirements and use technology to engineer the highest
quality sustainable infrastructure. Since 1975, the company has been
a champion of preservation and environmental concerns and strives to
create a sustainable balance for clients. More information on Salas
O’Brien and its services can be found at: http://www.salasobrien.com/
Contact:
Jamie Bonner, Marketing Manager
408-282-1500 x3053,
jamie.bonner@salasobrien.com
