Process

First, read about the [|Gish Family Apartments] in San Jose, California. The planning and construction of these green apartments is described in detail. Be sure to take note of the helpful "Green Strategies" section which can be found at the bottom of almost every page.

The next step is to visit a green building in the Boston area. Here are some ideas: (If you come up with another option, please confirm it with Ms. Mitchell before visiting).
 * [|Genzyme Center (Cambridge)]
 * [|Saint Polycarp Village Apartments (Somerville)]
 * [|Capuano Early Childhood Center (Somerville)]

Ms. Mitchell, your Social Studies teacher, will then assign you a real city in the United States. As you design your apartment building, you MUST keep in mind the needs of your particular community, as well as the physical surroundings, as they will impact your planning. For example, it might be hard to justify installing an array of solar panels in a place that tends to have very little reliable sunshine per year.

Now you are ready to begin your green apartment design! Under the "Resources" page, there are a wide variety of helpful places to look for information on everything from green building in general to specific green apartment examples.

You must address the following areas in your planning: -Flooring -Walls -Doors -Windows -Lighting -Roofing -Electricity -Water Use -Heating & Cooling -Landscaping

Each group member must at least cover two topics.

Once you are done with this first phase of the project, I will turn you over to Mr. Adams, who will help you convert these ideas into a real design plan using AutoCAD software! -Ms. Rosellini