Clinton Commons is a 55-unit affordable housing development in the lower San Antonio neighborhood of Oakland. It has earned both the Bay-Friendly Rated designation for its sustainable landscaping and LEED Platinum certification for its green building features. The building has a central exterior courtyard that was carefully designed to ensure a pleasant and varied outdoor experience, while also reducing waste and saving water. Plants were selected for seasonal color and texture to provide year-round interest.

 

LANDSCAPE HIGHLIGHTS

• The planting specification and maintenance agreement require Integrated Pest Management (IPM) and bar the use of pesticides prohibited by the Organic Materials Research Institute (OMRI).
• Plants are spaced appropriately so they have room to grow to their mature size.
• Plants are hydrozoned (grouped by their water requirements) and irrigated with high efficiency bubblers. A dedicated landscape water meter was installed.

RESULTS

• 17,500 gallons of irrigation water saved compared to a conventional landscape
• 89% of landscape construction and demolition debris recycled
• 6 tons of local, recycled compost used
• 4 tons of local, recycled mulch used
• 85% of new plants are low water species
• Bay-Friendly landscape practices reduced greenhouse gas emissions by an estimated 2 tons CO2E

PROJECT DETAILS

• Project owner/developer: Resources for Community Development
• Landscape architect: Keller Mitchell & Co.
• Location: 720 East 11th Street, Oakland
• Project area: .7 acres
• Landscape accessible to the public? No 

Bay-Friendly Rated Landscape score: 62

Year rated: 2013

Bay-Friendly Rater: Cynthia Greenberg, Placeworks