ICAA Innovators
Timber Ridge at
Talus fosters
a well environment
and an environment
for wellness
By aligning itself with the values of those it serves, this
community has embraced environmentally sustainable
design and practices that are reducing its carbon
footprint—and costs
This is the third article in a series profiling
the recipients of the 2011 ICAA Innovators
Awards. Launched by the International
Council on Active Aging® (ICAA) in 2003,
these awards recognize creativity and
excellence in active aging, honoring innovations that are leading the way, setting
new standards and making a difference
in the lives of older adults. These offerings
target any or all of the seven dimensions
of wellness—namely, physical, spiritual,
intellectual, social, emotional, vocational
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The Journal on Active Aging May/June 2012 www.icaa.cc
and environmental wellness. ICAA supports professionals who develop wellness
facilities, programs and services for adults
ages 50 and over.
Timber Ridge at Talus prides itself on
providing a lifestyle of flexibility and
choice for older adults in the Pacific
Northwest. Located outside Seattle in
Issaquah, Washington, Timber Ridge
Continued on page 64
Timber Ridge at Talus
maximizes natural lighting
and reveals sweeping views
through large windows
Timber Ridge at Talus fosters a well environment and an
environment for wellness Continued from page 62
is owned and operated by Life Care
Services, LLC, an Iowa-based developer
and manager of senior living communities. The company’s LifeCare™ concept
is offered at Timber Ridge through
apartment-homes in different sizes,
styles and floor plans combined with
supportive services for healthy, active
living. Programs on campus focus on
nutrition, fitness, active life, and wellbeing, while long-term healthcare allows
individuals to age in place without significant fee increases. Other compelling
factors about Timber Ridge include the
community’s location, landscape and
thoughtful design.
sensitive and sustainable. The community earned a LEED® (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Silver
Certification from the US Green Building Council in 2008, and has continued
to implement eco-friendly practices on
campus. In recognition of these efforts,
the International Council on Active
Aging® presented Timber Ridge with a
2011 ICAA Green Award, a category of
its annual awards program that is devoted to environmental stewardship.
Timber Ridge achieved LEED Silver
Certification on June 30, 2008. Most of
the development’s points on the LEED
scorecard were clustered in the following
categories: sustainable sites; materials
and resources; indoor environmental
quality; and innovation and design
process.
To learn more, the Journal on Active
Aging® recently spoke to Scott Doherty
about Timber Ridge’s “green” journey.
Built on 10 acres of Talus, a 630-acre
master-planned “urban sanctuary,”
Timber Ridge sits at the base of Cougar
Mountain overlooking the Issaquah
Alps, yet the community is only minutes
away from Interstate 90 and 15 miles
from downtown Seattle. Area residents
have access to 200 miles of hiking trails
in the Talus development—where
roughly 470 acres are preserved—as
well as contiguous parks and forests.
JAA: What key factors drove Life Care
Services to take an ecologically sensitive
approach to developing Timber Ridge
at Talus?
SD: In initial focus groups, we asked
prospective residents to tell us what
they wanted in an ideal community. The
importance of environmentally friendly
construction, operation and maintenance was repeatedly emphasized. As a
result, Timber Ridge has been designed
to offer enhanced comfort and healthier
living conditions, as well as to be environmentally responsible.
“This natural setting is what longtime
residents of the ‘East Side’ (as the area
east of Seattle is called) have come to
love and appreciate,” says Scott Doherty,
executive director of Timber Ridge.
Community members can take in their
surroundings from apartment-homes
with high ceilings and large windows,
terraces that offer outdoor fireplace
lounging and al fresco dining, and The
Lodge, a clubhouse boasting such amenities as a library, creative arts center,
cocktail lounge, dining rooms, fitness
center, and more. The community’s second phase, planned for 2015, will add
enhanced amenities, Doherty reveals,
including an enlarged fitness center
with indoor swimming pool and an
auditorium.
As befits its location, however, Timber
Ridge is designed to be environmentally
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SD: The traditional and Baby Boom
generations are looking for senior living
communities to match their lifestyles
and values in addition to meeting their
needs. Market research revealed a green
lifestyle is important to Seattle seniors,
an unsurprising fact given the generations’ histories. Traditionalists experienced two world wars and an economic
depression; “waste not” was not a slogan
but a way of life for them. Boomers are
ecology-minded. Not only did they begin the recycling and environmentally
friendly products movements, they are
also one of the first generations to support sustainability and green building.
As a company, Life Care Services is dedicated to reducing the carbon footprint
of its development and expansion communities. So the organization teamed
with architectural firm Rice Fergus
Miller to develop its first LEED-certified
community, Timber Ridge at Talus.
The goal of the project was to optimize
the use of sustainable materials and resources and decrease the community’s
immediate and future impact on the
environment.
The Journal on Active Aging May/June 2012 www.icaa.cc
JAA: Why did Life Care Services seek
LEED certification for Timber Ridge, and
what did the process involve?
Green construction strategies at Timber
Ridge included meeting LEED criteria
for the use of locally available building
materials. This supported the local economy while minimizing environmental
impacts associated with the transportation of building materials to the project
site. The use of recycled content such
as steel, concrete and local stone also
minimized impacts from the extraction
and use of virgin resources. In addition,
86.8% of construction waste was recycled into new products instead of being sent to landfills for disposal. Special
precautions to protect building materials
and ventilation system ductwork from
dirt and moisture helped ensure a clean
and healthy building at completion.
LEED strategies were implemented that
while costing more in one area, reduced
cost in another. For example, highefficiency-skin windows and insulation
reduced mechanical load on the building; heat recovery also reduced load on
mechanical equipment sizing. Sourcing
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Timber Ridge at Talus fosters a well environment and an
environment for wellness Continued from page 64
With terraces featuring wooden beams and a large stone fireplace, Timber Ridge reflects its natural environment while
providing community members with an inviting place to lounge or dine al fresco
locally reduced shipping costs, with
rapidly renewable, recycled and local
materials used throughout the development. A “design change log” was kept
throughout the design progress to inform the team of decisions and their
cost impact. In the end, simplicity in
detailing was key to keeping costs down
while resulting in a comfortable, soft
final result.
JAA: Why is it important to keep expanding and evolving environmental stewardship efforts at Timber Ridge?
SD: Timber Ridge’s LEED certification
established an environmentally friendly
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and green culture among residents and
staff. This culture and philosophy is present in everyday operations, and both
residents and staff seek ways to continuously decrease our community’s carbon
footprint.
As green initiatives and products continue to evolve, so do our efforts. Product
lines such as LED lighting, dishwashers,
washing machines and electric cars have
improved since the community first
opened. These more efficient products
are not only planned for Timber Ridge’s
second phase, but many of these initiatives are being implemented in the first
phase as well.
The Journal on Active Aging May/June 2012 www.icaa.cc
JAA: Please outline the major green
initiatives that Timber Ridge has undertaken since its opening and what they have
achieved.
SD: We have been able to creatively and
cost-effectively implement a number of
initiatives.
Eco-Ware containers: To-go orders are a
popular service at Timber Ridge. Prior
to using Eco-Ware takeout containers,
the Food and Beverages department
went through 5,000 paper compostable
containers per month. Now, our community avoids wasting 60,000 paper
compostable containers each year. The
eco-takeouts—which are both reusable
and recyclable—are 100% BPA-free
polypropylene, reduce nonbiodegradable waste and do not occupy landfills.
Although they required a high initial
cost for purchasing inventory, costs were
recouped quickly and resulted in annual
savings.
Going beyond newspaper recycling: Approximately 130 newspapers are delivered daily to residents at Timber Ridge.
Our community initiated a partnership
with the AtWork! nonprofit organization in Issaquah, which manages a
recycling plant. AtWork! uses profits
to pay employee wages and support its
program to help people with disabilities
be productive, integrated and contributing members of their community. On
average, four pallets of newspapers from
Timber Ridge are delivered to the plant
each month, netting the program over
US$1,200/year.
Food/green composting: Food waste is
traditionally disposed of with regular
garbage and transferred to landfills such
as the 2,500-acre Roosevelt landfill in
Washington State. In 2008, Timber
Ridge decided to set an example with its
food and paper composting program.
All meat skins, food debris, unused food
scraps, and compostable paper items
food waste are placed in a three-yard
(9 ft./2.7 m) composting dumpster
awaiting biweekly pickup from Cedar
Grove, an organic recycling company.
This program allows Timber Ridge
to divert an estimated 55.16 tons of
compostable waste annually from the
landfill. Instead, the waste is processed
by Cedar Grove into nutrient-rich soil
products, which are used to grow healthier flowers, trees, shrubs and lawns. The
flat fee charged by Cedar Grove for
compost removal saves us US$1,400/
year versus a per-ton charge assessed on
regular waste removal.
JAA: What has Timber Ridge found most
successful in engaging residents and em-
ployees in these initiatives, so they not only
begin, but also continue, to participate?
SD: People are motivated when they
know their efforts make a difference and
their ideas are being heard. At Timber
Ridge, we educate the residents and
staff about the opportunities our community can take advantage of to make a
positive impact on the environment. We
provide answers. How many less Styrofoam products is the community using
with the new Eco-Ware containers? How
many tons of newspaper and cardboard
does Timber Ridge recycle each year?
Residents know that recycling their
newspapers is not only a worthwhile
green practice, but also has a positive
financial impact on a local nonprofit. It’s
an extra incentive that motivates and
rallies residents and staff to maximize
newspaper recycling.
In addition, we include the residents and
staff in all aspects of these green initiatives. The resident “Saw Dusters” group
constructed the newspaper recycling
boxes located in the trash rooms on each
floor. The food committee’s opinion and
support was sought before implementing the Eco-Ware containers communitywide. The committee also encourages
fellow residents to order half-portions
to reduce food waste. Management not
only attended floor meetings to receive
resident feedback on energy-saving opportunities, but more importantly listened to the residents and implemented
many of their suggestions. Billing statements are now printed two-sided and
lighting was evaluated for efficiency.
Such efforts give residents ownership
of the changes and differences they are
making.
JAA: What are the main challenges that
Timber Ridge has encountered in developing and/or operating a sustainable
Continued on page 68
Creating a thriving
focus on environmental
stewardship: five steps
1. Green initiatives will only be
successful and sustained with
a community or organizational
philosophy and culture committed to promoting environmental
stewardship.
2. Engagement! Resident/member
and staff participation is critical
to the success of your environmental efforts. Everyone must be
on board.
3. Educate residents/members and
staff about the environmental impact and ways they can influence
change. People are motivated
when they know their efforts
make a difference. Provide feedback and recognition for their
efforts.
4. Team up with local organizations
and businesses. In addition to
reducing a carbon footprint by
not shipping materials across
the country, teaming with local
organizations and businesses funnels resources back into the
community.
5. Commit to environmental stewardship for the long haul. Don’t
let green efforts be a phase or an
event celebrated on an annual
basis, like Earth Day. Green innovation in product lines, recycle
programs, and steps residents/
members and staff can take are
broad and constantly evolving.
Each community and organization can make a difference.
The Journal on Active Aging May/June 2012 www.icaa.cc
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Timber Ridge at Talus fosters a well environment and an
environment for wellness Continued from page 67
able windows in all areas also have a very
high “u-value,” so people do not feel cold
when sitting near them.
Healthy, nontoxic materials such as
carpet, paint and adhesives contribute
to high indoor air quality, while the
housekeeping and chemical products are
green and biodegradable. Sensor lighting and automatic faucets and toilets
add efficiency and eliminate need for
hand-controlled functions. Daylighting
settings ensure adequate light while saving energy.
Goals when developing Timber Ridge at Talus included optimizing the community’s
use of sustainable materials and resources, while decreasing its immediate and future
environmental impact, says Executive Director Scott Doherty
community, and how has the community
addressed them?
SD: One of the major objections to
green practices is that these may increase the costs of operation. Yet dual
flush toilets, water saving faucets and
shower heads, combination washer/
dryers and low-irrigation planting have
resulted in a 20% water savings for our
community, while high-efficiency boilers
and mechanical systems as well as lighting contribute to 20% energy savings.
Timber Ridge is not immune to the
financial challenges, however. We had
planned to purchase a cardboard baler
in the last quarter of 2011 to effectively
utilize loading dock space, decrease the
labor in breaking down cardboard, and
receive a rebate on the cardboard-offsetting waste removal and the initial capital
to purchase the equipment. Based on
the projected amount recycled (850 lbs./
week), the estimated payback period
was two years. Management decided
68
that, for now, it was in the best interests
of Timber Ridge to postpone purchasing the US$8,000 baler. This is a good
example of times when even with a business plan committed to green initiatives,
our community has had to delay or forgo
projects because of financial constraints.
On the other hand, when the right opportunity presents itself to revisit projects once deemed not feasible, the team
jumps at it.
JAA: Finally, how has Timber Ridge
advanced environmental wellness for the
community?
SD: Ninety percent of the spaces at
Timber Ridge have views and allow
abundant natural lighting, brightening
people’s spirits during the Pacific Northwest’s rainy season. The building has an
on-site heat exchange system to promote
clean, breathable air and highly energyefficient, individually controlled rooms,
offices and common areas that promote
thermal comfort. The large, fully oper-
The Journal on Active Aging May/June 2012 www.icaa.cc
Outdoors, the amount of green space
promotes a vibrant and healthy lifestyle.
On every side of the building there are
landscaped areas for strolling paths,
panoramic views and gardens, plus a
garden walk around the building’s perimeter. Courtyards are dedicated to
activities such as bocce ball, croquet and
putting greens. In addition, on-site resident gardens allow individuals to grow
their own vegetables.
On-site bicycle storage is available to
both residents and staff, with showers
provided in the employee locker room.
In the warmer months, a walking group
meets and explores the surrounding
hills, hiking and enjoying the scenery;
the winter months promote crosscountry skiing and snowshoeing.
Environmental wellness achieved and
promoted on both the inside and outside of Timber Ridge gives residents the
opportunity to live an active, healthy
lifestyle.
The Journal on Active Aging thanks
Scott Doherty and Elizabeth Ann Fetner
of Timber Ridge at Talus for their help
with this article. More information
about Timber Ridge is available at
www.timberridgelcs.com.
Images courtesy of Timber Ridge
at Talus