Westchester County Workforce Housing Wins LEED Silver
22 Tarrytown Road recently received LEED for Homes Silver, the first property in the town to win the designation.
By Dees Stribling, Contributing Editor
Greenburgh, N.Y.—22 Tarrytown Road recently received LEED for Homes Silver, the first property in the town to win the designation (previously 600 White Plains Rd. was LEED certified). The 28-unit workforce housing development replaces three vacant buildings, which had previously been used as a homeless shelter and before that, as a motel.
The nonprofit Westhab Inc., a major provider of affordable and workforce housing in Westchester County, developed 22 Tarrytown Rd. Designed by Magnusson Architecture and Planning, PC (MAP), the building has a mix of studios and one- and two-bedroom apartments.
One of its main sustainable elements is a timber framing structural system, according to MAP. Wood is a carbon-neutral material, for one thing, as well as recyclable, biodegradable, and renewable. It also has a long life span.
Other green features include a high-performance building envelope with exterior insulation, Energy Star individual HVAC and heating systems, Energy Star light fixtures and appliances, and large fiberglass windows. Balconies and exterior shutters serve as sun-shading elements for the east and west facades.
A 6,000-square-foot vegetated green roof reduces the amount of peak storm water runoff into the sewer system by as much as 90 percent. A portion of the rainwater collected is stored on site for landscape irrigation, and the green roof also offers new habitats for flora and fauna
Common amenities include community and laundry rooms, outdoor courtyard and parking. Apartment finishes include formaldehyde-free plywood casework, FSC-certified oak flooring, Forbo marmoleum in corridors, and low-VOC paints and stains.