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
Sports and Recreational Facilities | Jan 25, 2018
Virginia Beach: A surf town with a wave problem no more
A world-class surf park will highlight Virginia Beach’s new live-work-play development.
Market Data | Jan 25, 2018
Renters are the majority in 42 U.S. cities
Over the past 10 years, the number of renters has increased by 23 million.
Resiliency | Jan 24, 2018
A luxury community in Florida mandates resilience in new-home construction
Alys Beach’s in-house GC builds to standards set by the FORTIFIED program.
Multifamily Housing | Jan 24, 2018
Apartment rent rates jump 2.5% in 2017, led by small and mid-sized markets
The average price for one-bedroom units increased the most.
Multifamily Housing | Jan 17, 2018
The Concours at Carlisle: A condo community for gearheads
The new development will represent the only auto condo community in Central Pennsylvania.
Mixed-Use | Jan 16, 2018
Mixed-use development under construction in Detroit’s central business district
The development is being built on the former site of the Statler Hotel.
Multifamily Housing | Jan 10, 2018
Multifamily 2018 outlook: Developers tap the brakes, but will maintain historic pace
Multifamily developers are poised to register the second-highest annual completions count of this cycle in 2018, but with fewer completions than 2017’s cycle peak, according to a CBRE report.
Multifamily Housing | Jan 9, 2018
New 58-unit luxury apartment building under construction in Chicago’s Gold Coast neighborhood
The 8-story building will feature two- and three-bedroom residences.
Multifamily Housing | Jan 5, 2018
Let’s discuss the Energy Star Multifamily High-Rise Program
The demand for rental housing has been on a steady climb since 2004.
Multifamily Housing | Jan 4, 2018
Shigeru Ban’s mass timber tower in Vancouver gets city approval
The 232-foot-tall Terrace House luxury condo development will be the tallest hybrid wood structure in North America.