The grand entry at the Griffin Club in La Quinta, Calif., greets guests with Bega LED bollards that are dimmed to 10 percent for maximum energy savings, while still providing adequate illumination at the drop-off zone.

The Griffin Club is a luxury private recreation center located in the opulent desert community of Griffin Ranch in La Quinta, Calif. Set against the backdrop of the breathtaking Santa Rosa Mountains, this 6.4-acre project includes a Spanish Colonial clubhouse building, series of outdoor terraces, intimate courtyards, short-course Olympic sized swimming pool, splash park, tennis stadium, four tennis courts, pickleball courts, off-leash dog run, putting green, recreational lawn areas, outdoor kitchen and dining areas, water features, outdoor sculpture, and walking paths that meander through the desert landscape.

In-Site Landscape Architecture, Inc., designed the site to engage both passive and active uses by the community. The grounds incorporate a distinct use of materials and high-end fixtures that blend function with the aesthetics that would be found at a high-end luxury resort. A selective use of furnishings and finishes compliment the traditional architectural style and give the club a contemporary and elegant edginess.

The pool area features 10-watt LED low-voltage landscape lights (Alliance Outdoor Lighting) illuminating the Mexican fan palms, and two fire bowls (Architectural Pottery).

Sustainable lighting with elegance and functionality was the goal for the club's lighting design. All luminaires installed were LED fixtures. This results in lower annual maintenance costs, lower energy demand, and therefore lower annual energy costs. While the initial product cost was more than conventional technologies, the installed costs were nearly the same. Using LED luminaires with lower energy draws resulted in fewer electrical circuits. The fewer electrical circuits, along with smaller electrical wire sizes and conduit sizes translated into lower installation costs. Another cost saving benefit has to do with the light pole and concrete foundation sizes. Due to the lower EPA (effective projected area-wind load) of the parking lot, pedestrian and tennis court luminaires, the gauge of steel for poles and concrete foundations could be minimized. Likewise, by using lower wattage LED landscape lights, smaller transformers and fewer electrical circuits were needed. With these factors considered, the net result is only a slight additional initial cost for a sustainable product.

Two 18-foot long granite fire tables are illuminated with under counter LED accent lights. This area also features seating for 10 and the palm trees are uplit with 10-watt LED low-voltage landscape lights.

The energy saved on this project annually is as follows:
• Typical conventional technology annual energy demand – 92.7kW hours=$15,757/year
• LED technology annual energy demand: 27.8 kW hours=$4,732/year
• Net annual energy savings: $11,025
• LED technology maintenance costs savings annually: $10,440
• Total overall annual savings: $21,465
This all resulted in a quicker return on investment, which is 1.1 years.

The manufacturers selected for this project were Alliance Outdoor Lighting for the low-voltage landscape lighting, Visionaire Lighting for the tennis court lights, Bega Lighting for the bollard pathway lights and many of the structure lights, and Neri lighting for pedestrian and parking field lighting.

The tennis court lighting plans were reviewed and approved by a tennis professional to ensure proper illumination for night play. Twenty Visionaire LED court lights were specified.

The site lighting designers of record were Kenny Perez Jr. (project manager), Philip Dodge (project manager), and Ken Perez Sr. (president and owner of Visual Concepts Lighting, Inc.)

The use of LED technology has come a long way since its inception, with its capital costs drastically reduced and its efficiency greatly increased. Though the new energy codes have become a lot more stringent, with LED being mandatory in most cases, lighting designers are becoming more comfortable in using LED technology, realizing its greater performance and surpassing efficiencies. The Griffin Club will beacon as a beautiful sustainable project for many years to come.

LED bollards provide an illumination pattern on the walkways while still providing proper horizontal and vertical lighting levels.

The club's pool complex includes resort-style cabanas and plush lounge chairs surrounding two fire bowls. Beautiful pool support buildings flank a motion-activated seven-foot tall sheer descent waterfall at the terminus of the pool area. In-ground spray nozzles complete the splash park area and provide a fun place to cool off from the desert sun.

The club's interior rooms are married to the adjoining outdoor spaces. Outside the clubhouse's "Grand Lounge', a large outdoor terrace flanked by formal lawns is designed to be the central social space supporting weddings or large community gatherings. A small fountain lies at center of the space and serves as a foreground focal point for the breathtaking mountain views. Two 18-foot long granite fire tables frame the space and provide an intimate venue for smaller groups to enjoy the desert nights.

The pool support buildings and olive trees are illuminated with 5-watt LEDs. Lights were placed between the planter pots and the architecture to provide a silhouette effect on the potted agaves.

The tennis complex includes a series of tennis courts complete with a sunken court and stadium seating for tournaments. A terra cotta tiled stadium terrace complete with bar tables and chairs provides luxury tournament viewing.

A "contemplation' courtyard lounge area adjacent to the yoga and pilates studio offers a quiet setting for personal relaxation. The space is defined by a groundplane composed of granite cobble and delicate shade fabric draped overhead via a steel cable system to provide a comfortable environment while giving the space a sense of inward refuge. A tiled water wall serves as a pleasing accent to the space where the trickling of water provides a calming ambience.

A prefabricated Stonewear fountain with prewired low-voltage submersible lights greets visitors as they enter the clubhouse. It was also very important to use low voltage accent lighting to illuminate the architecture of the clubhouse building as one of the main focal points of the project.

Throughout the site the landscape architects used a variety of locally appropriate plant materials that celebrate the beautiful desert setting. Flowering firefire were used at the project's entry for a striking arrival experience. A composed arrangement of cacti and agaves add architectural character while maintaining a natural feel.

The most significant challenge that was faced was obtaining city permits for Phase 2, while working diligently with Lennar and their subcontractors to deliver the finished project between fall of 2013 and fall of 2014. At some stages of construction, there were over 100 construction workers on site. In-Site had extensive involvement during the construction stage by responding to requests for information, observing construction, and ensuring a smooth and successful process.

A fountain provides a foreground focal element to the clubhouse's Grand Lounge Veranda. Low-voltage accent lighting, fountain lighting, architectural lighting and Neri area lighting all work together to create nighttime ambience.

Construction Team
Construction Management Support: Murow CM
Irrigation Consultant: California Landscape Technologies
Structural Engineers: Precision Engineering Design and Innovative Structural Engineering, Inc.
Electrical and Lighting: Sprint Electric
Landscape/Pool/Splash Park: Teserra
Landscape Support: Hacienda Landscape

A specimen lighted Palo Verde tree, an architectural arcade and decorative LED bollards, dramatizes the view looking out from the tennis stadium entrance.

Design Team
Landscape Architect: In-Site Landscape Architecture, Inc.
Architect: The McKinley Associates
Civil Engineer: MSA Consulting, Inc.
Site Lighting and Electrical Consultant: Visual Concepts, Inc.
Artist: Jon Koehler Sculpture

Vendors
Landscape lights: Alliance Outdoor Lighting
Tennis court lights: Visionaire Lighting
Bollard pathway lights and many of the structure lights: Bega Lighting
Pedestrian and parking field lights: Neri
Stucco: Del Mar Plastering
Masonry: Velasquez Masonry
Fencing/ Steel Structures: Fenceworks
Exterior Furnishings: Ford & Associates, Inc.
Hardscape: Z Best Concrete
Tennis and Pickleball: Zaino Tennis

Medjool date palms, Mexican fan palms, and Palo Verde trees are illuminated with 10-watt LED low-voltage landscape lights.

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