Building techniques that are good for the environment have been used for many years, in different ways, but they have only become popular recently. The creation of green building standards such as BREEAM and LEED certification has given developers reasons to build sustainably and has made more people aware of the importance of constructing environmentally friendly buildings.
Currently, the most well-known and desirable certifications for developers and property managers are the LEED certifications granted by the U.S. Green Building Council. These certifications are sought after for both commercial projects and residential buildings. However, LEED is no longer the sole method for assessing the energy efficiency of residential buildings.
Best Environmentally Friendly Green Buildings in NYC
Perch Harlem – Hamilton Heights
The Perch Harlem is a building with 34 units. It is located at 542 West 153rd Street in Hamilton Heights, which is in Manhattan. It was completed in 2017 and is the first passive house development in Manhattan. The luxury building was created by Synapsed Development Group and Taurus Holdings. The architect, Chris Benedict, is known for designing energy-efficient buildings without charging extra fees to developers.
255 Columbia – Brooklyn Waterfront District
The six-story condominium at 255 Columbia Street in Brooklyn’s Waterfront District was completed in 2014 by HPI Development. It consists of 13 units and was designed by Loadingdock5 using environmentally friendly techniques from passive house projects. The units have reduced their energy consumption by over 75 percent by using super insulation, air sealing, and minimizing heat flow through thermal bridges.
Toren – Downtown Brooklyn
Toren is considered one of the top buildings in Brooklyn for its LEED Gold apartments. The condominium is a tall building with 38 stories. It is situated at the address 150 Myrtle Avenue, where Flatbush and Myrtle Avenue meet in Downtown Brooklyn. The building was designed in 2010 by a famous architectural firm called Skidmore, Owings & Merrill. It was built by BFC Partners. The building has a unique façade made of metal and glass panels that makes it stand out. Toren received the Building Brooklyn Award from the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce and a LEED Gold certification in the same year it was finished.
Williamsburg Edge – Williamsburg
Williamsburg Edge is a part of The Edge development. It consists of two towers located at 34 North Seventh Street and 22 North Sixth Street. The development earned a LEED Gold certification in 2012. Williamsburg Edge is a 15-story building with 205 residences.
The Williamsburg condominium development has windows and walls that save energy and use wood from sustainable sources for the floors and kitchen cabinetry materials. The units have WaterSense fixtures and Energy Star-rated appliances. They are also sealed to prevent smoke and odor from entering from neighboring apartments and corridors.
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1510 Lexington Avenue – Upper East Side
This luxury building was constructed in 2008 and is the first smoke-free rental residence in NYC. Smoking is not allowed anywhere on the property. In 2012, the building located at 1510 Lexington Avenue received the LEED Silver certification for its design and construction. This building is part of the Upper East Side project.
The Octagon – Roosevelt Island
The building at 888 Main Street is a redevelopment project of the historic Roosevelt Island hospital complex. It has 12 stories. The construction of the building involved using 10 percent recycled materials, 20 percent local materials, and recycling about 50 percent of the construction waste. The HVAC system has efficient water source heat pumps that are powered by gas-fired condensing boilers. It also has airside heat recovery and a 60-kilowatt rooftop solar array. These features work together to reduce energy usage by 35 percent.
The Schermerhorn – Downtown Brooklyn
The architects who designed famous buildings like The Standard and High Line, Susan T. Rodriguez and Ennead Architects, created this community with 217 units at 160 Schermerhorn Street in Downtown Brooklyn. The building has several sustainable features, including a green roof terrace, a glass-faced façade, energy-efficient systems, and the use of recycled building materials.
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