1. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Special thanks to Shay Meinzer for her guidance and
support in nurturing my sustainability goals and career
ambitions.
Helping families…changing lives. A New Leaf inspires
and supports individuals and families in their journey to
independence, and provides a broad spectrum of
supportive services to help individuals and families
succeed. From basic needs to career development and
budgeting, A New Leaf focuses on providing the critical
skills to achieve lifelong independence
(www.turnanewleaf.org).
PROJECTS
This internship with A New Leaf has been incredibly
beneficial in learning and observing how sustainability
principles can be established and implemented in a
professional setting, specifically within the context of non-
profit organizations.
A New Leaf is striving to be sustainable in many
ways, specifically in regard to the affordable housing
programs in which the housing itself is LEED certified.
More importantly in terms of sustainability, however, is the
manner in which A New Leaf is working to increase the
social capital of the individuals striving for independence.
The organization does not only strive to provide dignified
housing options, they also work to include supportive
services that can help to educate and improve the
individual’s skills in order to help them become successful
and productive members of society.
A New Leaf does face challenges in regard to
implementing sustainability principles, mostly because
they are limited by the fact that they are a non-profit
organization. As a non-profit organization, cost is always a
pivotal factor and therefore sometimes must outweigh
other considerations. While there are many incentives for
non-profits implementing sustainability elements, and
many funders require certain sustainable features,
unfortunately there is often a small return on investment
over a long period of time. Therefore, from a business
standpoint sometimes sustainability does not pay off, and
A New Leaf struggles with this and similar challenges on a
daily basis.
Fig. 6. Micro-Unit Container Housing Proposal for renovation of A
New Leaf’s East Valley Men’s Center to incorporate micro-unit
container homes in order to increase capacity and improve quality of life
while maintaining a budget and utilizing recycled materials
Fig. 5. La Mesita Apartments Located in Mesa, opened in March
2014. This campus provides 80 units of affordable housing with 30
units reserved for families and individuals who are chronically
homeless. La Mesita Apartments have the LEED for Homes Platinum
Certification. Phase 2 of La Mesita breaks ground April 2016
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
For additional information, please contact tpryts@asu.edu.
To view this and related projects, please visit
www.linkedin.com/in/tarapryts. More information on this
and related projects and services provided by A New Leaf
can be obtained at www.anewleaf.org.
Fig. 1. Floor Plan The Helaman House in Mesa, Arizona
A NEW LEAF - MISSION
Fig. 7. Example Floor Plan 174 sq. ft. micro-unit floor plan that could be
made from recycled shipping containers
Fig. 2. Floor Plan A New Leaf Administration Offices in Mesa, Arizona
Fig. 4. Floor Plan A New Leaf offices in Mesa, Arizona
Fig. 3. Floor Plan A New Leaf Dorothy B Mitchell Counseling Center
Administration Offices and Health Services Center in Mesa, Arizona
PROJECTS CONCLUSIONS
INTERNSHIP TASKS
• Collect area and square footage data at 18 cites in Mesa,
Arizona.
• Confirm and correct collected data against existing real
estate schedule
• Create accurate floor plans (Fig. 1-4) of specified sites to
be used in the identification and evaluation of
properties to be renovated or undergo capital
improvements/energy upgrades or converted/
redeveloped for affordable housing
• Actively participate in the Interior Design/final FF&E of
a funded affordable/permanent supportive housing
development, and participate and provide feedback on
the site design, floor plans and unit plans of a potential
affordable housing development (Fig. 5-7)
PHOTO CREDITS
Fig. 5. La Mesita Apartments & Homeless Shelter.
www.turnanewleaf.org
Fig. 6. Container House by Adam Kalkin.
www.homedesign.com
Fig. 7. Build, Inc. Project. www.socketsite.com