Park Slope Condos Go For New LEED Midrise Certification
New York--After acquiring a teardown on Dean Street, Trident decided that its six-unit condo project would serve as a pilot for green design in future developments.
Dees Stribling, Contributing Editor
New York–Trident Developers LLC is pursuing the first LEED for Homes Midrise certification in the city at a development in Park Slope, Brooklyn. After acquiring a teardown on Dean Street, Trident decided that its six-unit condo project — “Green on Dean” — would serve as a pilot for green design in future developments.
The project has since sold out and Trident is working on its next project in another part of the city, which will also include sustainable features. After the initial project meeting revealed Green on Dean’s eligibility for the LEED for Homes Midrise Pilot Rating system, the developer is seeking certification at the gold level for the building.
The LEED for Homes Rating System was originally designed for single-family and low-rise multifamily residential development, but as the program grew, owners and developers of residential projects from four to six stories showed interest in using the LEED for Homes criteria. To address that market sector, the US Green Building Council (USGBC) has developed a LEED for Homes Midrise pilot to determine what criteria best meets the needs of this project type. “The goal of the midrise guidance is to make minor changes to LEED for Homes so as to enable midrise buildings to pursue LEED for Homes certification,” notes the USGBC.
Steven Winter Associates Inc. consulted on the Green on Dean project. Sears & Tambasco Architects PC designed the building envelope to feature a series of insulated walls. In the summer, external shading devices shade south-facing Energy Star windows, further reducing heat gain. All the condo units were equipped with Energy Star modulating gas furnaces rated at 97 percent AFUE.
The project’s indoor air is filtered to provide a continuous supply of fresh air to apartment bedrooms while exhausting air from the bathrooms. The building was also closely monitored during construction to implement airsealing, including the use of spray foam around rough window openings. According to the architect, this close attention to these details paid off, as all units passed the required LEED for Homes apartment tightness testing.
Each unit receives hot water via a tankless gas-fired domestic hot water heater, and has low-flow showerheads, lavatory faucets, and Energy Star appliances. Native species were planted in the rear garden and a Green Grid roofing system established on top of the building. In addition–as is usually the case for any LEED project of any description–green materials and finishes were used throughout the project, including recycled wood flooring, recycled insulation and low-VOC paints, coatings, and sealants.
