Forest City OMC Marines | Neighborhood: Overview

The 43 acre Waikulu neighborhood represents the latest developments in planned residential neighborhood design. The neighborhood is currently in the review process for Certification through the United States Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design pilot program for Neighborhood Development. This program is designed to improve both energy and environmental conservation as well as improve the quality of life and health of our residents. Building with the goal of conserving natural resources and preserving the natural environment provides additional benefits to your community.

The benefits our residents enjoy include:

• The new Waikulu neighborhood is built where previous homes once stood. This community design provides for larger homes but in a more densely populated setting. The increased density provides larger, more concentrated parks and a community center, while maintaining playgrounds and tot lots conveniently dispersed within the community.
• The previous community resulted in the development of many base facilities, including the elementary school, the Mokapu Mall, childcare centers, restaurants, banks, the commissary, a library, the theatre, multiple outdoor recreation facilities, and many of the larger job centers. Each facility is within a short walking distance from any point in the neighborhood. The redevelopment provides a safer and more extensive and therefore more convenient pedestrian environment.
• The new development creates a back-of-house street network which slows local traffic considerably. Traffic calming measures on the main streets are incorporated to deter through traffic. This was done to ensure a quieter and safer environment for the Waikulu tenants.
• Maintenance. Our privatized housing has a community manager with an office within the Waikulu community that quickly addresses maintenance and community concerns.

The homes of Waikulu and our other neighborhoods have been planned for tenant comfort and health. Extra care has been taken to evaluate the homes’ durability and interior environmental quality. Specific measures for resident convenience are:

• A properly sized, split system, central air conditioning system. This system makes sure the indoor air is always fresh and comfortable while separating and screening the compressor from the living area.
• Carpets are high quality soft, plush, durable, hypoallergenic and made from recycled plastic (PET) bottles.
• A full compliment of high quality, high capacity Energy Star appliances, including clothes washer, clothes dryer, dishwasher, oven and range are provided. These appliances save a considerable amount of energy and water.
• A high capacity electric water heater stores the water for and augments the temperature of the large capacity solar water heating system on each home. As the electric hot water heater constitutes the majority of the electrical consumption of a typical home, this system provides the largest energy savings in the community while providing an adequate amount of hot water at the same temperature as a conventional electric water heater.
• Ceiling fans in each room to customize local air movement for greater individual comfort.
• Insulated vinyl windows keep the heat and humidity out. The window glass limits ultra violet rays to protect your possessions from sun damage while allowing as much natural sunlight as possible.
• Private fenced garden area at each home.
• Carbon monoxide and smoke detectors throughout the house.
• Increased thermal and moisture barriers to prevent mold growth.
• Lighting designed to protect each home from the intrusion of light from the next home.
• Town home designs with insulated walls between units so noise transfer is minimal.
• Warm color compact fluorescent lighting with color comparable to incandescent bulbs.

You can take pride that there are other energy and environmental factors that push the quality of this managed community far and beyond the “Greenness” of other conventional communities. Take note of:

• The site protects the nearby wetlands, home of the endangered Hawaiian Stilt Bird which can be found foraging throughout the base. This is done through careful control of storm water. This helps prevent the pollution of the nearby beaches and reefs with fresh water that promotes algae growth. Rainwater and humidity sensors control the sprinkler systems’ activation, saving a considerable amount of fresh water.
• Solar powered night lights at the mailboxes, energy efficient and carefully directed street lamps, and security lighting provide an exceptional quality of light and security. The lighting also conserves a good deal of energy and clears the night sky for better star gazing.

This community demonstrates Forest City’s commitment to the Marine Corps families and the environment you live in, both locally and globally.
Project Image

Additional Images