Gish Apartments is a groundbreaking 35-unit transit-oriented family apartment complex for its architectural design and in its use of renewable energy technologies and other green building features. The apartments located in downtown San Jose provide quality affordable housing for households earning 35%–50% of the area median income with over a third set aside for residents with developmental disabilities. IDeAs provided sustainability consulting related to the viability of using new technology LED lighting that was entering the market at the time. Gish is the only affordable housing development in the U.S. to receive both LEED for Homes and LEED for New Construction Gold certification. It also won a 2009 AIA COTE Top 10 Award.
High levels of insulation and high-performance glazing provide a building envelope that is well above code requirements reducings heating and cooling demands. A photovoltaic system produces and estimated 42,534 kWh per year. Overall, the building is designed to save approximately 97,500 pounds of CO2 per year over a minimally compliant building, a 33.8% reduction over the ASHRAE baseline.
