Advanced Living Goes Green

Recognizing that there are far more seniors in need of affordable housing than there are accommodations, Advanced Living Communities (ALC) continues to expand its development scope beyond its original campus in Lansdale, PA in an effort to provide further for those in need. While ALC is heavily invested in maintaining relationships which serve their residents, the organization is equally invested in serving the community-at-large. As Advanced Living continues to develop housing properties, it has begun to focus on long-term, environmental sustainability and green building.

Green building increases the efficiency with which sites use energy, water, and materials and reduces negative effects on human health and the environment. Derstine Run 2, ALC’s newest residential development, was planned and designed to preserve natural resources through LEED certification. “LEED, or Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design, is a green building certification program that recognizes best-in-class building strategies and practices. LEED certified buildings save money and resources and have a positive impact on the health of occupants, while promoting renewable, clean energy.”

Green features at Derstine Run 2 include:

• Solar assisted water heating for the common areas, including the common laundry rooms,

• Energy Star v3 thermal envelope, HVAC systems and appliances,

• Green labeled carpeting,

• Drought tolerant landscaping,

• Meadow planting on some of the open space,

• Recycling program.

The outside of this three-story building is cultured stone veneer with vertical and horizontal cement board siding that complements the old Pennsylvania farmland architecture nearby. The building has many common amenities, including a community room, a living room with fireplace, a lounge area and roof terrace on the 2nd floor, a game area, a library, hair salon and a future tenant space suitable for a mini bank branch, and a walking trail that will eventually connect to the municipal trail system. Derstine Run is located on 30-acres of land and is planned to ultimately accommodate four residential buildings. Derstine Run 1 was completed in 2011 and Derstine Run 2 opened its doors in 2013.

Advanced Living Communities was founded in 1962 by members of the Schwenkfelder Church, a small Christian denomination native to southeastern Pennsylvania in 1962 on the values of universal equality and unconditional compassion. The organization opened its first residential retirement community, Schwenckfeld Manor, to low-income seniors in 1974. Expansions followed in 1979 and 1989 and Schwenckfeld Terrace, its second community, opened in 2008, serving more than 1300 residents.