by Shane Henson — June 19, 2013—Eco-minded San Diegans in the market for a new luxury apartment should not have to look any further than the 114-unit Solterra EcoLuxury Apartments, located at the intersection of Scripps Ranch Boulevard and Erma Road.
Developed by H.G. Fenton Company, Solterra is the first apartment community to give San Diegans the opportunity to live in a community where all the electricity they need for daily living is generated by the sun. It also surpasses California’s 2013 building energy efficiency standards (Title 24) by 19 percent, says the building’s management. Solterra features a mix of luxuriously appointed one- and two-bedroom floor plans offering 741 to 1,127 square feet.
“Our residents tell us that they are very excited to be able to live in a community that is 100 percent photovoltaic and provides them the tools they need to monitor and manage their energy usage on a real-time basis,” said Carroll Whaler, H.G. Fenton Company’s executive vice president of residential asset management.
Other sustainable and energy-saving features the apartments offer include:
- Community and apartments are equipped with smart thermostats with Web-enabled remote control to maximize efficiency.
- Every apartment is equipped with GE Energy Star appliances to reduce energy usage.
- In Home Displays are provided for residents to keep track of their energy usage and learn to be more efficient.
- Resident garages are pre-wired for electric vehicle charging station capabilities.
- All residential apartments have high-efficiency laundries—the dryers are natural gas and the washing machines have a water factor of 5.0.
- All cleaning products used by employees and vendors are Green Seal, Ecologo, or Design for the Environment Certified.
- Ceiling fans are located in every apartment to reduce energy cost by offsetting the use of air conditioners.
- Irrigation controllers with on-site weather stations maximize irrigation effectiveness.
