Arizona Prepares for its First-Ever Green Apartment Community

By Keith Loria, Contributing Editor

Mesa, Ariz.—Kauffman Real Estate and Development is developing the Verde Dimora Apartments, a multifamily community in Mesa, Ariz., which aims to be the first sustainable multifamily community of its kind in the state.

The Verde Dimora Apartments will feature a 153-unit sustainable multifamily residential development along with a sustainable preschool next door.

“Verde Dimora Apartment Homes offers sensible, development and construction techniques that improve the development’s economic viability while providing broad-based economic and community benefits,” Dan Kauffman, principal of Kauffman Real Estate and Development, told MHN. “Our homes—and the people we build them for—are much too important to give anything less than our best work.”

Located at 2217 N. Power Road, Verde Dimora will offer incentives to residents not to have a car and will allow the use of bicycles provided by the developer during the resident’s lease terms. There will be secured and enclosed bicycle storage areas on each floor, including bicycle workstations.

Amenities include a swimming pool with clubhouse, fitness center, meditation gardens, barbecue areas, fire pit, dog-wash station, electric car charge stations, and community garden plots. Sustainable and green friendly components are incorporated into the building design as well.

Each apartment unit will feature Energy Star appliances, energy efficient water fixtures, CFL lighting, low-E dual pane windows, low-emitting insulation, low-VOC paint, flooring and sealants, high-efficiency air conditioning, and sub-metered water. A property-wide recycling program will be available to encourage more resident participation.

“Sustainability is at the core of the entire development, providing broad-based economic and community benefits,” Kauffman said. “In addition to creating a sustainable community, the developers hope to also create sustainable residents through educational tools and programs that will be available upon move-in, such as how to read electric and water bills to save more each month and how to properly recycle.”

Leviton was brought in to provide humidity sensor fan controls and occupancy sensor light switches in all apartment unit bathrooms; a utility submetering system to measure each individual unit’s energy usage; and Evr-Green 4000 dual car charging stations for residents and people shopping in the area, encouraging the use of electric cars.

Additional Leviton products, including USB Charger receptacles, GFCIs, dimmer switches and AV control equipment will also be installed in order to provide residents with electrical safety, convenience and luxury.

The development is close by Mesa Community College and several shops and restaurants are within walking distance.