With so many moving parts, adaptive reuse projects frequently take longer to get off the ground and they involve unforeseen challenges—but the results can be more interesting than those found in new construction. “We [also] think that redeveloping historic buildings is an inherently green strategy,” says Bruce Becker,AIA, AICP, President of Becker + Becker, whose Fairfield, Ct-based firm developed, designed and planned The Octagon, a high-profile adaptive reuse project in New York.

Sunwheel Energy Partners, which provides turnkey solar energy systems for urban and community partners, has commissioned solar photovoltaic (PV) systems at three affordable housing community sites in San Francisco’s Western Addition and Hayes Valley neighborhoods.

What’s black and white and green all over…? The Silhouette. And, if all goes according to plan, this four-unit eco-friendly condominium in South Park Slope, Brooklyn will soon be the first low-rise LEED Platinum project in New York City.

A few new developments in the sustainability world have come to pass since my last note.

A new program could provide a sizable jolt to the already-popular practice of retrofitting existing commercial properties to increase environmental sustainability. The Community Preservation Corp., a non-profit affordable housing lender, has unveiled a new public-private partnership that aims to provide $1 billion in funding for energy efficient upgrades and green retrofits to multifamily properties.

For many, the environmental movement is about recycling, solar panels, and hybrid cars. Even we in the industry can get distracted by the technological whiz-bangery of the latest wind turbine, composite material, and waterless urinal. It’s easy to overlook what will be the most pervasive aspect of sustainability in the coming years: the green collar job market.

New York–What’s black and white and green all over…? The Silhouette. And, if all goes according to plan, this four-unit eco-friendly condominium in South Park Slope, Brooklyn will soon be the first low-rise LEED Platinum project in New York City.

The United States can learn a few lessons in energy-efficient buildings and green jobs from Europe and Australia, according to a new study by the Rand Corporation. The research shows that steps taken by the two continents to inspect, rate, and publicly disclose the energy efficiency of buildings indicate the structures use less energy and are worth more when sold or leased.

New York City is flooded with some major events this week: the U.N. General Assembly, the annual meeting of the Clinton Global Initiative and Climate Week N.Y.C., which falls just a few months before the international climate meeting slated to take place in Copenhagen this winter.

“Every penny counts” may sound like a tired cliché, but in the new economic order this mantra has more resonance than ever. By happy coincidence, energy management presents apartment community owners with an opportunity to improve their financial performance while addressing another area of growing significance: their properties’ environmental performance, particularly as it relates to energy consumption.