When National CORE’s Metro View affordable housing community achieved LEED for Homes Gold certification in November, it became the eighth community with sustainability elements designed by COREvolution to achieve U.S. Green Building Council recognition in 2024.
COREvolution is a design and consulting team launched by National CORE to develop and implement cost-efficient and eco-friendly design in multi-family affordable housing.
The Metro View certification brings to 27 the number of LEED-certified properties owned by National CORE and designed by COREvolution, fully a quarter of the company’s portfolio. The list includes seven Platinum-certified properties and 19 Gold-certified communities.
LEED, which stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, is the world’s top green building rating system. The rating covers a range of metrics, from sustainable building materials to energy use.
“Our extraordinary year of LEED for Homes certifications reflects National CORE’s steadfast commitment to building the highest quality communities that preserve natural resources, operate at maximum efficiency and foster healthy living spaces for our residents,” said Tim Kohut, COREvolution’s executive director and National CORE’s director of sustainability.
Metro View – a 55-apartment, all-electric community opened in early 2024 – features a 116.10 kW capacity rooftop solar panel system and highly efficient heat pumps. The energy-efficient building envelopment reduces energy needs and maximizes use of natural light. The property is a transit-oriented development adjacent to the Rialto Metrolink station and Omnitrans Route 22, giving residents access to multiple transit options.
Metro View’s Spanish Mediterranean architectural style complements the neighborhood. amenities include a community room, computer center, swimming pool, playground, recreation areas and barbecues, and an outdoor teen area, encouraging engagement and community among young residents.
“The work we’re doing in the realm of building and delivering cost-contained, high-performance and increasingly Zero Net Energy and carbon-neutral buildings is remarkable,” Kohut said. “Metro View and the other newly certified properties testify to how we are changing the face of affordable housing.”
National CORE is a six-time LEED for Homes Power Builder, a distinction achieved under the guidance of COREvolution. In 2024, the USGBC recognized Legacy Square, a Santa Ana affordable housing community designed by COREvolution, as an international Affordable Housing Project of the Year.