SALT LAKE CITY — Light cascades through the spacious windows of this downtown studio apartment, where granite countertops beckon and beige ceramic tile hosts Energy Star appliances.
Atop the roof of the building, photovoltaic solar panels are perched to generate energy, and outside a cistern is collecting moisture from the rooftop.
This building, built circa 1894, has been undergoing a ground-up "green" rehabilitation that has it Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design-certified for an environmentally friendly addition to the city's affordable housing stock, and it's attractive to boot.
LaPorte Properties teamed with the Olene Walker Housing Trust Fund and Key Bank to embark on the $1.6 million rehabilitation of three historical buildings that will add 38 affordable housing units to area.
Ben Logue, LaPorte founder and CEO, honed his skills in the transformation of old buildings in the Bronx and Harlem. He has continued his work since moving to Utah, specializing in taking the dreary and drab that come with some affordable housing complexes, and turning them into places of pride and dignity.
"I believe in doing in this," he said. "Renewing these old buildings, it's tremendous; it's wonderful, and you are helping people at the same time to have a place they want to be."
Barbara Smith, a vice president of Key Bank who has worked with Logue to finance several of Logue's affordable housing projects, including the Smith buildings, said Logue has a knack for giving old bricks new life, the same way the buildings give their tenants something new to grab onto.
"The thing about it that is so nice is that there is such a quality product for people that is respectful, well-deserved. I love the dignity in these projects. … It does change people's perceptions of what affordable housing can be."
About six years ago, Logue began marrying his projects to environmentally sustainable features, turning to solar panels and energy-efficient appliances to cut costs for future tenants. Overall, he said, he believes energy bills have been reduced by up to 60 percent for some tenants, and it is anticipated this particular studio will have a monthly electric bill of $18, compared to an estimated average of $49.
The Smith North and Smith South apartments are his first to be LEED-rated, which is an internationally recognized green-building certification system created by the U.S. Green Building Council.
Brett Moyer, a LEED green rater from Wasatch Energy Engineering in Park City, was conducting an inspection Friday at one of the Smith studios marveling at the wood used in construction of the cabinets.
It is "sustainably harvested lumber," which means the wood came from a forest evaluated on how the trees are planted, grown and cut down to ensure the forest's long-term health and existence. The rating also hinges on the chain of the custody for the wood, which tracks each person or company in the handling process, ensuring the wood did come from an appropriately harvested forest.
"Builders who use this type of wood should be really proud of themselves," Moyer said, "because, frankly, it is not cheap. But it is the responsible thing to do."
Logue said his English heritage and East Coast beginnings taught him the necessity and value that comes with recycling and reuse.
"We all have to chip in to be able to save what is left of this plant," he said. "It is important that we start thinking this way. The cost differences up front are minor compared to the long-term energy savings, in reducing our carbon footprint."
e-mail: amyjoi@desnews.com