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Contact: Brooke Barnhill Brooke@crossnoregroup.com (512) 344.2604 or (512) 694-7744 cell

 Three-­‐Star  Austin  Energy  Green  Building  Rating  Awarded  to  Westminster    

 Mayor  Lee  Leffingwell  Receives  Key  to  Auditorium  to  Support    

Aging  Task  Force  Goals    September  23,  2013  –  AUSTIN,  TX  –  Westminster  leadership  recently  offered  Mayor  Lee  Leffingwell  a  “key”  to  its  new  Harris  Bell  auditorium,  which  the  mayor  plans  to  use  for  Aging  Task  Force  town  halls  to  help  the  city  support  the  needs  of  its  fast-­‐growing  seniors  population.    The  commemorative  key  was  part  of  the  grand  opening  of  Westminster,  a  newly  renovated  and  expanded  475-­‐resident  community  near  downtown  Austin  that  is  receiving  national  accolades  for  its  state-­‐of-­‐the-­‐art  architectural  features  and  its  sustainable,  energy  efficient  design  elements.      “While  Westminster  is  known  as  an  Austin  original,  this  forward-­‐thinking  community  represents  the  future  of  what  senior  living  can  be,  complementing  the  city’s  long-­‐term  plans  to  welcome  and  support  the  needs  of  a  rapidly  growing  boomer  population,”  said  Mayor  Lee  Leffingwell  who  partnered  with  AARP,  major  health  care  providers  and  aging  leadership  to  launch  an  Aging  Task  Force  to  make  Austin  an  age-­‐inclusive  city  for  seniors.          

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Dr.  Liana  Kallivoka,  Austin  Energy;  George  Linial,  Leading  Age  Texas;  Dr.  Margaret  Berry,  Westminster  Resident;  Brian  Robbins,  Westminster  exec.  director;  Mayor  Lee  Leffingwell  and  Sarah  Talkington,  Austin  Energy.  

     

The  Brookings  Institute  ranks  the  Austin-­‐metro  area  with  the  fastest-­‐growing  percentage  of  individuals  ages  55  to  64  in  the  United  States,  and  the  second-­‐fastest  growing  concentration  of  seniors  ages  65  and  higher.    As  a  result,  the  city  has  ramped  up  efforts  to  provide  a  wider  variety  of  housing  to  seniors  at  all  income  ranges.    Goals  support  healthy  living,  independence,  and  enhanced  technology  to  provide  more  information  and  public  awareness  about  senior  activities,  caregiver  assistance  and  transportation.        

Mayor  Leffingwell  also  presented  to  Westminster  with  the  three-­‐star  Austin  Energy  Green  Building  (AEGB)  rating  for  creating  a  building  that  showcases  energy  efficiency,  water  conservation,  indoor  environmental  quality  and  efficient  material  use.  The  protection  and  conservation  of  resources  and  the  creation  of  a  healthy  living  environment  were  strategic  priorities  from  the  onset  and  led  to  the  three-­‐star  AEGB  rating.  

The  Future  of  Senior  Living  in  a  Wired,  Energy  Efficient  World  

As  communities  nationwide  catch  the  wave  of  the  silver  tsunami,  the  senior  living  industry  is  experiencing  record  development  with  modern  communities  built  with  larger  common  areas  to  accommodate  extended  families  and  guests.    Designed  by  Perkins  +  Will  architects,  Westminster  is  considered  a  world-­‐class  model  representing  the  future  of  senior  living  architecture.    The  community  places  an  emphasis  on  wellness  amenities  such  as  in-­‐house  exercise  studios,  saline  pools  and  whirlpools,  and  upscale  locker  rooms  for  extremely  active,  health-­‐minded  seniors;  the  campus  is  equipped  with  wireless  technology  to  allow  residents  to  communicate  with  family  and  friends  on  iPads  and  other  mobile  devices;  residents  can  access  portals  for  daily  event  calendars,  billing,  and  menu  options,  and  wireless  technology  is  able  to  support  Telehealth  applications  for  residents’  medical  needs  24-­‐7.

Faulkner Design Group has  built  a  reputation  as  one  of  the  leading  design  firms  in  the  nation  with  a  focus  on  “smart”  environmentally  friendly  senior  living  communities.  According  to  its  president  and  founder  Adrienne  Akin  Faulkner,  RID,  LEED  Green  Associate,  IIDA,  ASID,  future-­‐driven  communities  like  Westminster  place  an  enhanced  focus  on  conservation,  

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with  environmental  improvements  including  outdoor  living  spaces  with  courtyards  for  dining,  putting  greens,  raised  gardens  and  walking  loops.      

With  the  expertise  of  Perkins  +  Will,  TBG  Partners  landscape  architects  and  the  Faulkner  design  team  Mayor  Leffingwell  recognized  Westminster  for  achieving  a  three-­‐star  Austin  Energy  Green  Building  rating  (equivalent  to  LEED  Silver  certification)  due  to  the  following  sustainable  features  and  green  practices:  

-­‐                22  percent  energy  savings  through  efficient  HVAC  and  lighting  systems,  high  performance  glazing,  and  advanced  controls;  

-­‐                Sustainable  water  practices  including  low-­‐flow  fixtures,  storm  water  runoff  controls,  improved  irrigation  methods  and  Texas-­‐landscaping  that  resulted  in  a  36  percent  reduction  in  water  usage  indoors,  and  a  75  percent  reduction  in  water  used  for  irrigation;    

-­‐                Increased  use  of  public  transportation,  new  bicycle  racks  and  showers  for  employees,  as  well  as  electric  car  charging  stations;  

-­‐                Overall  improvement  in  natural  lighting  design  and  use  of  full  cutoff  fixtures  outdoors  to  reduce  light  pollution;  

-­‐                Efficient  use  of  materials  through  the  re-­‐use  of  components  from  the  existing  building;    

-­‐   The  materials  footprint  was  further  mitigated  by  diverting  82%  of  construction  debris  from  the  landfill,  and  by  selecting  high  recycled  content  and  Texas-­‐sourced  building  materials;  

-­‐                  Use  of  Energy  Star-­‐rated  appliances;  

-­‐   Use  of  low-­‐emitting  materials  throughout.  

###    About  Westminster    Established  in  1967,  Westminster,  formerly  Westminster  Manor,  is  one  of  Austin’s  first  and  most  established  retirement  communities.    Operating  as  a  not-­‐for-­‐profit  community,  Westminster  is  managed  by  Life  Care  Services™  and  provides  modern  residences,  state-­‐of-­‐the-­‐art  health  care  and  other  amenities  to  residents  seeking  comfortable  and  culturally  enriching  lifestyles  in  Central  Austin.    For  more  information,  call  (512)  454-­‐4711  or  visit    www.westminsteraustintx.org.        

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About  Austin  Energy  Green  Building:  http://greenbuilding.austinenergy.com  In  1991  Austin  Energy  Green  Building  (AEGB)  developed  the  first  rating  system  in  the  U.S.  for  evaluating  the  sustainability  of  buildings  in  Central  Texas.  By  developing  and  maintaining  its  own  Austin-­‐specific  rating  systems,  AEGB  has  the  flexibility  to  carry  out  Austin’s  aggressive  climate  protection  and  energy  conservation  goals.  Since  1991,  AEGB  has  rated  more  than  10,000  single  family  homes,  85  multifamily  projects  containing  more  than  12,500  dwelling  units,  and  almost  200  commercial  buildings  exceeding  20  million  square  feet.