HABITAT
Energy is one budget item that NYC co-ops and condos can lower, and the articles here will give you ideas on how to do that. Plus, New York City has passed an ambitious set of laws that requires buildings to reduce their carbon emissions over the next decade, and all buildings will have to comply. For co-ops and condos, this means taking action now.
How to Save Energy
Written by Robert J. Braverman on October 28, 2015
We handled a transaction where a building installed a cogeneration system that allowed the building to realize savings on the costs to heat its hot water and, at the same time, provide backup power to allow the building to have some elevator service, emergency lighting, and hot water during a power outage. In addition to the utility savings and the advantages of having a backup power resource, the building qualified for a New York State grant to help fund the project.
Takeaway
The project was the brainchild of an energy consultant retained by the building to explore different ways it could stay ahead of the curve in terms of energy efficiency when considering upgrading its elevators. When a building is contemplating a significant capital improvement to its mechanical systems, it would be worthwhile to investigate what energy efficiencies can be achieved in connection with such an upgrade and what government subsidies might be available to defray the costs.
Robert J. Braverman is a principal at Braverman Greenspun.
A Green Roof? You May Want to Consider It
Written by Tom Soter on October 01, 2015
Dan Gulick wanted to make the 5,000-square-foot roof of his building an amenity. "We already had a wood deck [and] a gazebo [up there], and residents wanted more access to the roof. We thought it would be nice to have a green lawn that you didn't share with thousands of other people." Gulick, the board president of a 142-unit co-op at 111 Third Avenue and 14th Street, was convinced the way to do that was through a green roof — a "living roof" or vegetated roof covers, with plants taking the place of bare membrane and gravel ballast. But wouldn't it be costly?
On the Money: Keeping Track of Your Building's Energy Scores
Written by Kathryn Farrell on June 24, 2015
Good news for greening advocates. The Urban Green Council has launched a new website, Metered.nyc, to make benchmarking information simpler to access and easier to understand. Energy benchmarking is required under Local Law 84 for buildings larger than 50,000 square feet. What makes this new website so useful is that a building's data is compared over time, and if you have made energy improvements it will be reflected there.
Earth Day may have come and gone, but the green agenda is very much alive and well in New York. Reducing the state's energy consumption, for example, is an important part of Governor Andrew Cuomo's comprehensive energy strategy. Mayor Bill de Blasio, meanwhile, has laid out his goals and targets for a sustainable and equitable city in the OneNYC plan. Going green includes everything from going solar, to developing innovative ways to reduce energy consumption and costs — and everything in between.
Your building can incorporate environmentally friendly practices by doing three relatively simple things:
- Selecting recycled and/or recyclable green replacement materials;
- Using paints, cleaners, and solvents that are low in toxicity; and
- Recycling construction debris.
Here, we present a sampling of some of the green choices that your cooperative may wish to consider as it undertakes its repair and upgrade project.
The push to go solar is not a new one, nor is it necessarily a green one. Regardless of where you stand on the environmental agenda, making the move to harness solar power is an economic one. It's also an expensive one — at first. Depending on where you live (namely, how sunny it is), you can certainly save a lot of money in the long run. As with any investment, however, the upfront costs can leave you with a severe case of sticker shock, especially as rebates begin dwindling.
There's good news for those who are interested in sowing the seeds and reaping the beneficial rewards of solar power. Brooklyn Community Board 6 has launched Solarize Brooklyn CB6, a limited-time group-purchasing program led by Sustainable CUNY and the New York Solar Partnership with New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) and the Mayor's Office of Sustainability. The program is supported by the U.S. Department of Energy and the New York Sun Initiative (NY-Sun) and is designed to make investing in solar power easier and more affordable for participating residents and businesses.
Brooklyn Launches Community Solarize Program
May 18, 2015
For nearly a decade, NYSERDA has led the charge in the green energy business for multifamily buildings, offering buildings hefty incentives for making improvements that reduce a building's energy usage. Unfortunately, rebates are dwindling, and there are other changes on the horizon — the application process, for example, could change or be phased out entirely. No, it's not easy going green. But now, Brooklyn Community Board 6 has launched Solarize Brooklyn CB6, a limited-time group purchasing program led by Sustainable CUNY and the NY Solar Partnership with New York City Economic Development Corporation and the Mayor's Office of Sustainability. The program is supported by the U.S. Department of Energy and the NY-Sun Initiative and is designed to make investing in solar power easier and more affordable for participating residents and businesses. Historically, a solarize campaign lowers the cost of going solar by 10 to 20 percent. Solarize Brooklyn CB6 is available for both residents and businesses in the neighborhoods of Carroll Gardens, Cobble Hill, Columbia Street District, Gowanus, Park Slope and Red Hook. By increasing New Yorkers' access to solar power through lower prices and a simplified process, Solarize Brooklyn CB6 is contributing to the mayor's goals and specific targets for a sustainable, resilient, and equitable city laid out in the OneNYC plan. The comprehensive plan for a sustainable and resilient city aims to reduce the city's greenhouse gas emissions by 80 percent by 2050, over 2005 levels. We'll be taking a closer look at this green campaign later this week, so watch this space.
A Midtown Co-op's Four-Year Push to Go Green
April 21, 2015
It's not easy being green. Just ask the board of Parc Vendome in Midtown Manhattan. It has spent the past four years making its prewar condominium greener. And it has done that by relying on state-vetted partners to help it navigate a state-sponsored improvement program.
Learning how to get a partner may be an essential skill in the coming years. "Right now, the multi-family performance program is in a period of transition," says Brian Nieves, a sales representative at Daylight Savings, which is a New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) partner. "NYSERDA is looking to get away from providing cash incentives."
When Parc Vendome first began its energy improvements, it selected the Ithaca-based engineering firm Performance Systems Development. The company conducted a $40,000 energy study of the four-building complex, delivering to the 576-unit condo an in-depth analysis of its property. "It allowed me to really look at the building on a larger scale," says Brenda Colberg, the on-site Charles H. Greenthal property manager for Parc Vendome.
Every time Earth Day draws near, terms such as "sustainability" get bandied about on green-friendly sites and across social media platforms. Perhaps it's thanks to the likes of celebrity homeowners like Leonardo DiCaprio who have been so gung-ho about green condo living in the city, but it looks as if sustainability might be gaining momentum in the high-end residential market. CORE, a real estate brokerage firm in Manhattan, hosted a broker roundtable during which nine real estate experts discussed sustainable design and its impact on the luxury market.
Save Some Money, Save the World
April 16, 2015
On April 22, Earth Day marks its 45th anniversary. This year, Earth Day Network, the folks behind the green initiative, are encouraging everyone to be more environmentally friendly. So, what can your co-op or condo board do to make a difference?
For co-ops and condos eager to switch from oil to gas but stymied by the cost, Con Edison has just announced 16 new Area Growth Zones for 2016 with a sweet incentive — a no-cost connection opportunity from the street to your building. It's a continuation of the company's present program, and the time to sign up is now. In case you don't know, there are two main costs in a conversion project. One is the price of all work within your property line, such as gas piping, equipment, and chimney-liners, which are the building's responsibility. The cost for this work is typically referred to as the "internal conversion costs."
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