Sage on Prospect

Sage On Prospect is registered with the U.S. Green Building Council as a LEED Platinum Certified Building. As one of the Sage brand developments, these apartments on Prospect Ave. in Milwaukee join Sage on Jackson as the only LEED Platinum Certified apartment buildings in both Wisconsin and Illinois!

As an adaptive reuse project, the development transforms a pre-existing, under-utilized structure into a state-of-the-art and luxury building. The building increases the area density and quality and provides a positive addition to the streetscape and environment.

Innovations at Sage on Prospect begin with the core building structure. The first three levels utilize the pre-existing structure's superior concrete, steel and masonry with mineral wool insulation added. The exterior walls in the upper two levels were constructed utilizing panelized, 2x8 wood framing studs with mineral wool insulation. The advantage of using mineral wool is its superior thermal and acoustical insulation quality. This is in contrast to buildings that are 2x4 or 2x6 construction and built on the jobsite, which produces great amounts of waste products

Careful consideration was given to every design detail, just as its predecessor, Sage on Jackson, but with even more emphasis on the benefits of adaptive reuse: customize, quality and sustainability. The building's exterior façade incorporates modern textures, colors and architectural details. Typical apartments waste 10-15 percent of each apartment’s square footage on circulation space (i.e. hallways, entryways, etc.). The Sage buildings’ superior design increases overall usable square footage by reducing the circulation space down to 5 percent.

Residents benefit from premium, efficient space, rather than unused, inefficient circulation and common areas. All materials and systems are designed, sourced and selected specifically for the project to achieve maximum reduction in resident energy consumption.

Adaptive reuse of the pre-existing building allows for a dramatic reduction in waste compared to an entirely new construction project. This green development was designed to utilize as much of the existing structure as possible. The additional building floors were constructed primarily in a factory, where excess materials are recycled and waste is minimalized.

At the building site, Dominion Properties works closely with the general contractor to implement ambitious waste reduction strategies and recycling protocols that achieve more than 85 percent of all construction waste recycled. The Sage buildings incorporate a custom waste collection system that allows residents to easily and efficiently dispose of their trash and recyclables, unlike any other buildings in Wisconsin.

Focus on Energy provided assistance, allowing Sage on Prospect to add a 29.9-kilowatt photovoltaic system on the upper roof. This method of generating electrical power converts solar radiation into direct current electricity, which offsets and decreases the building's overall energy consumption.

The building was designed to maximize HVAC efficiency and include redundancies to ensure consistency, comfort and cost savings for residents. Features include 24 400-foot-deep geothermal wells that interface with the ground and provide an efficient heating and cooling source for the building incorporating quiet and efficient heat pumps in each residential apartment. A 95-percent-efficient boiler in the building serves as a back-up heat source and provides on demand heat to parking areas. In addition, it’s used with an innovative cold-water tempering tank, providing domestic hot water to the building with minimal carbon emissions. All of this is accomplished with minimal electrical energy consumption.

Natural daylighting and passive solar opportunities are maximized in the building design to benefit residents. All exterior and interior lighting in common areas and individual units are 100 percent LED, providing long-lasting and efficient light.

Energy Star and other energy-efficient products have been carefully selected for each apartment. These products save energy without sacrificing features or functionality. All stoves have AquaLift technology, which requires no harsh chemicals or massive amounts of energy (like a self-cleaning oven) to clean. All appliances, with the exception of the microwave ovens, were made in the Midwest.

With assistance from MMSD, the building showcases a green roof that captures approximately 3,900 gallons of rainwater each time it rains. This system can collect approximately 5,400 gallons of additional storm water, which gets stored in a retention system located under the sidewalk. Together, these important systems divert approximately 9,300 gallons of storm water from entering the combined Milwaukee sewer system each rainfall for years to come.

• Front canopy – Green Roof
• Main Roof – Blue Roof
• Landscaping – Both water-absorbing and drought-tolerant

The building's garages are equipped with multiple car charging stations for residents who own electric cars. These charging stations are powered with electricity generated by the solar array.

The building's gearless elevator does not require a machine room and consumes approximately one-third less energy than other elevator types.

U.S.-made ceramic tile and domestic flooring is used throughout the building. In lieu of ceramic tiles, some of the residence exhibit recycled, zero VOC flooring. Recycled rubber flooring covers the floor in the exercise room. Carpeting in the hallways are comprised of recycled nylon fishing nets.

All of the brick on the project is either recycled from the existing building or sourced within 500 miles of the project. This reduces the overall carbon emissions of transporting materials overseas.

Drinking water supplied to all kitchens passes through copper plumbing which, in combination with a traditional carbon filter, safely provides drinking and cooking water without the concerns of chemical leaching issues that can result from the use of standard PVC and PEX piping. Domestic hot water is innovatively tempered using the geothermal heating system before traditional process of heating the water with natural gas, further reducing carbon emissions.

Every material, from paint and caulk to floor finishes and carpeting, is carefully selected to ensure that the building has the lowest Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC) and other harmful off-gassing chemicals. The entire building is also smoke free. Sage on Prospect is not only sustainable, but it is healthy to live in.

Click HERE for more information about building and unit amenities for Prospect apartments in Milwaukee.