Keeler Court Apartments of San Diego, CA, was honored with a 2021/2022 AIA San Diego Merit Award this spring. “Recognized design excellence through the lens of sustainability,” the AIA San Diego awards select recipients of design awards based on functionality, form, and sustainability. The Keeler Court Apartments provide affordable, high-performance apartments to the Southcrest neighborhood of San Diego, designed for families and individuals earning 30-60 percent of the area median income and veterans.

The recently completed apartments, which overlook the San Diego Bay, are well-connected in the community with ease of mobility and access to neighborhood amenities. With this close proximity to the San Diego Bay, the development is designed to take advantage of natural airflow and ample daylight provided by the surrounding environment in features such as exterior pedestrian bridges, light wells along outdoor corridors, apartment balconies, and operable window. Keeler Court Apartments were designed with a number of sustainable features including PV panels and a solar hot water system installed on the apartment rooftops which are predicted to generate renewable energy. Other features include stormwater retention, no or low VOC materials, low-flow water fixtures in apartments, and a cool roof system to reduce heat gain and enhance comfort for residents while also reducing utility costs.