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Centennial Green Program

Creating a new community offers an opportunity to start with a clean slate and incorporate sustainable design at the very beginning — from the overall master plan to site planning at the individual home scale. Sustainability techniques can also be used in the planning and design of public spaces including schools, fire stations and parks.

The Centennial Green Program is committed to creating a new sustainable community that will be a benchmark for environmental stewardship. Self-contained and self-reliant, Centennial is focused on protecting the environment, conserving resources and enhancing the health and security of its residents and neighbors.

Employing sustainable planning, engineering and building practices, Centennial will bring homes, schools, employment centers, retail, entertainment, cultural and recreational elements together in an integrated, healthy and walkable hometown environment.

Additional critical components include the preservation of large swaths of open space and green features designed to reduce greenhouse gases, effectively manage resources and enhance smart growth design.

Pedestrian-Friendly Environment

To reduce the need for automobiles, Centennial has been designed as a series of compact village centers surrounded by a mix of uses and densities. On average, homes will be within one-half mile of a neighborhood park or a village green, while schools, the library and retail will be integrated into a pedestrian-friendly network, and streets will safely and easily accommodate both bicycles and foot traffic.

An internal transit system will be designed to take residents anywhere they need to go within the community in addition to linking to other mass transit systems in the region. This will further reduce vehicle and gasoline usage. Greenways will serve as street-free transportation corridors, and will ensure the preservation of native habitat and provide for storm water filtration and recharge.

Open Space

Centennial will set aside approximately 8,600 acres of open space, both on the site and adjacent to it. There will be miles of public trails, natural creeks and large stands of oaks. The landscape plan emphasizes drought-tolerant plants, further enhancing the region’s natural beauty and reducing water needs.

In addition, community gardens will be an option in residential neighborhoods and other areas will be designated as habitat preserves for species such as the tri-colored blackbird to bring nature into everyday life.

Resource Conservation and Management

Green infrastructure—the integration of green space, habitat appropriate landscaping and natural hydrologic functions—combined with the latest watershed management techniques will help to conserve water, improve its quality and reduce runoff. Recycled water will be used to irrigate parks, common areas, medians and parkways.

Recycling programs are designed to substantially reduce the amount of valuable resources that flow into and out of the community. Centennial will have dedicated collection areas in commercial buildings and separate containers for residential units for glass, paper and other recyclables.

In addition, an environmental education program will be established to inform residents of the natural resource issues within the community.

Energy Use and Generation

Centennial will achieve a substantial reduction in total energy use by incorporating energy efficient design into all of its buildings. Centennial is committed to promoting the wise use of energy consumption and, through its Centennial Green Program, will mandate energy conservation techniques for all buildings, including requiring that they exceed current government standards for energy efficiency by 25 percent.

By achieving a substantial reduction in total energy usage, Centennial will decrease its dependence on carbon based fuels and help to reduce overall CO2 emissions. These strategies will make housing more affordable to own and occupy because potential homeowners can apply for energy efficient mortgages and will have reduced utility expenses.

Lighting and Indoor Environmental Quality

Centennial is focused on creating indoor and outdoor environments that maximize the health and safety of the community using a variety of strategies and materials. For example, natural ventilation coupled with paints and finishes that contain low or no volatile organic compounds (VOCs) will be used to improve indoor air quality.

Light pollution will be reduced, lighting only those common areas as required for safety and comfort and using non-glare and downward-directed lighting outdoors.

This commitment to sustainability and green building will continue well into the future. Centennial will be built over 20 years and utilize the newest innovations in green planning, design and technologies throughout the build-out.