L.A. Housing Development Uses Vinyl Windows to Earn LEED Points

LOS ANGELES, Calif., Sept. 9, 2009 – Rock Row, a small-scale townhouse development, includes the first homes in Los Angeles under $500,000 to be LEED certified. 

Architect Kevin Wronske used energy-efficient dual-pane vinyl windows to earn LEED points for the project, the U.S. Green Building Council’s endorsement for green design and sustainable construction methods.  A galvanized sheet metal fringe was added to the windows, acting as a shade and helping to keep dirt off the windows.

The 15-home development in the Eagle Rock neighborhood meets Los Angeles’ small-lot subdivision code that allows for multiple houses to be set close together on what had been single parcels of land.  The houses are separated by five inches of space, the small gap serving to lessen noise transfer from one unit to the other, and to allow the homes to move independently of one another in case of an earthquake.

Progressive design elements of the development include low-energy and low-water appliances, rooftop gardens to compensate for small yards, and solar panels.
Both two-bedroom and three-bedroom homes were available, and sold after less than four weeks on the market.

Wronske noted he and his brother Hardy “saw a desire among our Eastside neighbors for contemporary and ecologically sensitive homes, but the only available properties were well out of their price range.”  He recognized “an opportunity to fill a need while exploring our own interest in housing solutions for 21st century issues such as sustainability, smart growth, and affordability.” 

A 2008 report by Whitfield & Associates estimates nearly 60 million doors and windows with vinyl framing are installed annually in the United States and Canada because they are affordable, durable, and energy efficient.

For more information on Rock Row, go to www.heyday-la.com.

The Vinyl Institute represents the leading manufacturers involved in the production of PVC/vinyl resin in the United States, and promotes the value of PVC/vinyl products to society. 

For more information on The Vinyl Institute, contact:

Jeffrey B. Palmer
Director of Marketing & Communications
The Vinyl Institute
571-970-3327
jpalmer@vinylinfo.org

Also go to:  www.vinylindesign.com and www.vinylinfo.org.