Apartment tenants don't always care how green their building is. But in the case of the mixed-use Paseo Verde in North Philadelphia, WRT principal Antonio Fiol-Silva tells us the attention that Paseo Verde has been receiving for being "the greenest building in town," (according to Philadelphia Magazine) has been a major factor in the property reaching and maintaining high levels of occupancy (currently 98.5%). And the awards keep coming: The USGBC recently tapped Paseo Verde as LEED for Homes Project of the Year.

"This designation underscores the basic premise that Paseo Verde is a fundamentally healthier place to live, as well as a place that stimulates sustainable urban lifestyles,” Antonio says. WRT designed the property, which was the first project nationwide to receive LEED Platinum in the category of Neighborhood Development. Among other green features, it includes a well-insulated building envelope, highly efficient tankless water heating, individually controlled gas-fired heating and cooling units in each apartment, a 40 kW photovoltaic array on the roof and natural lighting.