Articles and Recognition

Project Narrative for Sun Harbor Marina
January 2006

Sun Harbor Marina is located in San Diego California and is owned and managed by Mary Lou LoPreste, Managing Partner on the San Diego Unified Port Tidelands.   The lot’s size is 64,800 square feet and sits on the San Diego Bay.  The project consists of 19,722 square feet of buildings divided into three two- story buildings. The West Building includes 4,845 square feet on the ground floor and 1,727 square feet on the second floor. The West Building houses support services for the Sportsfishing Fleet located next door and provides suites for independent businesses.  The center, or Pizza Nova Building, includes 3,525 square feet on the ground floor and 962 square feet on the second floor.  The Pizza Nova Building houses a restaurant that is the anchor tenant as well as 2 small business suites located on the second floor.  The East Building is 8,713 square feet and houses the support facilities for the marina as well as 4 additional suites for independent businesses, marina restrooms, a LEED Information/Recreation Room, and laundry facilities.  The ground floor includes 5,828 square feet and the second floor is 2,888 square feet.  All second story spaces have ample viewing decks overlooking the Bay.  The water attached to this project, but not included in the LEED certification, is approximately 148,000 sq ft.  The lot is complete with an elaborate landscaping design that encompasses a public plaza with a 50 ft. water feature Public Art component that anchors the site and provides an unobstructed view of the main channel in the harbor.  Two additional view corridors are provided along the project accentuating the location of Sun Harbor Marina.

Environmental Features

The project site was situated to take maximum advantage of the beautiful location on the water’s edge.  A very large and inviting public promenade is featured along the entire front of the project and encourages strolling and stopping while enjoying the beautiful waterfront.  Existing trees were transplanted throughout the project to provide beauty, shade and a sense on time.  The additional landscaping includes drought resistant trees, which should provide a 70% canopy over the asphalt parking lot within 5 years, scrubs, and succulents that are watered by water saving irrigation system.

Achieving the most energy efficient, environmentally friendly and aesthetically pleasing structures, while incorporating LEED criteria, were the primary goals during the design phase.  To help achieve this goal, the project incorporated high performance glazing, unobstructed windows that integrate daylighting, and openings to the waters edge.  Our innovative designs include light shelves, recycled airplane tire door grates, recycle centers strategically placed in each building, educational signage throughout the entire project, and mosaic features at each door.   Earth flags fly over each building with pride. 

Rounded buildings mimicking the movement of the sea, undulating light colored concrete in place of asphalt, which disperses the sun’s energy more efficiently to reduce the “Heat Island Effect”, and viewing decks on all buildings make this an extremely user friendly project.  High performance mechanical systems and an innovative automated “smart home” design that automatically shuts down the HVAC units when a door or window remains open, plays an integral role in optimizing energy.   South facing windows assure maximum natural daylight.  The overall energy savings for Sun Harbor is 50%.

The buildings are new growth wood framed and many of the construction products were sourced within 500 miles of the project site including recycled content and locally manufactured materials.  The boulders were recycled from an area just east of the project site that had been destroyed by a fire the year before.  The bathroom partitions and bike racks are made of 90% recycled bottles.  Low emitting materials such as paints, adhesives, sealants, and carpets were used to enhance the indoor air quality for the tenants.  Re-claimed wood was used for all of the benches throughout the project.  Bamboo, basswood, Kirei, wheat board and rubber coving or rapidly renewable materials, were used for all of the interiors.  The carpet and Marmoleum are LEED approved.

Low flow plumbing fixtures were installed to conserve water including waterless urinals, low flow showerheads, low flow kitchen faucets, and sensory activated lavatory faucets.  Our toilets are 1.6 gallons per flush and tankless water heaters were implemented throughout. Overall, the water usage has been reduced by over 37%.  Our washers and dryers are all energy savings top picks.

A shower and changing room as well as 2 bike racks are provided for bike riders.  Alternative transportation is provided by local bus routes #48, #922 and #923 and is located within ½ mile of the marina.  Alternative fuel vehicles/carpool selective parking spots have been reserved throughout the parking lot.  Our LEED information room will provide information on products used in the project as well as useful statistics to provoke the reader to pursue information on the effectiveness and social responsibility of green building.

During construction 75% of the demolished buildings were recycled and bins were provided for separating waste.  Each building has a designated “recycling center" for paper, corrugated cardboard, glass, plastics, and metals.

Renewable Wind energy certificates equal to 100% of the project’s annual electrical consumption for 2 years were purchased.  Educational signage is placed throughout the project informing visitors of the many ways we accomplished our LEED certification.  The piping and conduit have been prepared for a future 30 kW PV system.

The Port of San Diego is so impressed by the Sun Harbor Marina project and the LEED certification criteria that they are now requesting all future projects and re-developments on Tidelands incorporate LEED measurements and standards.  It has always been our desire to be a prototype showing the public that you CAN integrate green building with beauty and profitability.  We believe we have done just that.  We have been very pleased to have this opportunity to become LEED certified and intend to spread the word to everyone that visits our beautiful business.

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