Many New York City co-op and condo boards had been resistant to the idea of approving green retrofits and energy-efficiency upgrades, but that reluctance might be in retreat.
A principal at Urbanstrong, a green building consultancy, says the attitude of board members has shifted recently, according to a Habitat report. First, boards are realizing that they will have no choice but to comply with recent New York carbon-reduction laws.
They are also hearing from other boards that solar panels can be a welcome source of income as well as an effective carbon-reduction strategy. In addition, a sustainability-enhancing feature such as a green roof can increase property values, particularly if it includes an attractive lounge space.
The city’s one million buildings have 40,000 acres of roof space. Just a tiny fraction of those spaces accommodate solar panels or resident amenities. Some properties are making plans to green up HVAC by replacing old, inefficient heating and cooling systems with a combination of heat pumps and efficient gas boilers.
Related Stories
Multifamily Housing | Jun 9, 2020
Two 56-story prefabricated towers will make up Singapore’s newest residential district
ADDP Architects designed the project.
Multifamily Housing | Jun 4, 2020
Roof hatches selected for infill townhomes in Miami’s Little Havana neighborhood
Townhome project in Little Havana, Miam, Fla., uses BILCO roof hatches for reliability, code compliance.
Multifamily Housing | May 29, 2020
New multifamily project includes energy storage as an amenity
Each battery is linked to an on-site solar panel array.
Coronavirus | May 26, 2020
Multifamily developers report mounting delays in permitting and starts due to coronavirus pandemic
More than half (53%) of multifamily developer respondents reported construction delays in the jurisdictions where they operate, according to the third edition of the National Multifamily Housing Council (NMHC) COVID-19 Construction Survey.
Multifamily Housing | May 8, 2020
Nashville's newest residential tower will rise 416 feet
Goettsch Partners is designing the project.
Multifamily Housing | May 8, 2020
'Lakehouse' is the first multifamily project in Colorado to receive WELL Precertification
Stantec and Muñoz + Albin are the project's architects.
Senior Living Design | May 5, 2020
5 memory care communities with a strong sense of mission
Communities in California, Colorado, Florida, Maryland, and Virginia display excellence in memory care facility development, design, and construction.
Multifamily Housing | Apr 23, 2020
Tankless water heaters: 12 things to know about these energy savers for multifamily housing
Twelve factors to consider in using tankless water heaters in multifamily housing.
Multifamily Housing | Apr 20, 2020
Multifamily market flattens as construction proposal activity sinks
Multifamily has consistently been one of the strongest performers among 58 submarkets measured in PSMJ Resources’ quarterly survey.