News

MAY 19, 2015

Roosevelt Landings, a large-scale residential complex located on Roosevelt Island in New York City, is a finalist in the Urban Green Council’s EBie Awards. Nominated in the Verdant Brainiac category, the award recognizes the most innovative green renovation project in the nation, particularly one that surmounted significant barriers (cost, institutional, technological) using an innovative and scalable approach.

The project team was led by Josh Eisenberg, Executive Vice President of Urban American (UA), the owner and manager of Roosevelt Landings; David Davenport of Urban Greenfit, LLC (UGC), an energy service company (ESCO) and project developer and manager; Stephen Samohous of EVCO/KGS Buildings, the lead mechanical and M&V contractor; and Marc Zuluaga serving as lead project engineer and energy consultant from Steven Winter Associates (SWA).

Roosevelt Landings represents a significant achievement in energy-efficient design and engineering, enabled by a strategic financing collaboration. SWA and UGF devised a turnkey solution to design, implement, and finance the retrofits for the 1,003-unit, nine-building, former Mitchell Lama complex. UGF was created to finance the improvements, alleviating much of the upfront costs to Urban American. In addition, incentives for energy-savings were provided through NYSERDA and Con Edison.

Improvements to Roosevelt Landings included installation of a 300kW combined heat and power (CHP) plant and domestic hot water (DHW) boiler upgrade; electrical heat control with programmable thermostats; comprehensive air-sealing of the building envelope and interior spaces; floor-slab insulation; and building operator and resident education.

“The level of collaboration and high-standard of work has produced an outstanding result; I am intensely proud of the improvements made to Roosevelt Landings,” stated Mr. Davenport. “Above all, we are excited about the advantages that this project will provide to our residents.”

The retrofits resulted in 2.5M kWh savings in the first winter— a significant reduction since upgrades were completed well after the heating season began. The one million square foot complex was the first multifamily project to utilize New York City Energy Efficiency Corporation (NYCEEC) financing. The project also represents the largest air sealing scope ever implemented in NYC.

The Goal of the EBies
The EBies are conferred by the Urban Green Council, awarding high performing existing buildings and the people who make those projects possible. Projects are awarded on the basis of “measurable improvements in performance,” whether through renovations, retrofitting, retro-commissioning, upgrades, tenant or building operator education, or improvements in operation and management.

Steven Winter Associates’ Fifth EBie Nomination
Roosevelt Landings is SWA’s fifth project selected as a finalist for an EBie Award in four years. The first annual EBie Awards, held in June of 2012, recognized the renovations completed for the Carlyle Towers, a luxury condominium located in Cliffside, New Jersey. The high-performance building earned the Verdant Brainiac Award for the most innovative green renovation project. The second EBie Awards, held in June of 2013, recognized retrofit measures implemented for the Seaside Plaza Apartments in Staten Island, New York. Twin Parks, a 274-unit apartment complex that achieved dramatic energy savings, was recognized in 2014 as a finalist for the Power to the People award.

About the Urban Green Council
A non-profit organization established in 2001, Urban Green is funded by contributions from foundations, its 1,100 members, and over 50 corporate sponsors. The organization’s goal is to help transform the built environment in New York City with models that can be replicated in urban centers nationwide. Tickets for the June 22nd event can be purchased through the Urban Green Council’s website.

About Steven Winter Associates, Inc.
Steven Winter Associates, Inc. provides research, consulting and advisory services to improve commercial, residential and multifamily built environments for private and public sector clients. The firm specializes in energy, sustainability and accessibility consulting as well as research and development; certification and compliance; analysis and testing; training and outreach; and other services. Our engineers and architects have led the way since 1972 in the development of best practices to achieve high performance buildings. As a matter of course, we collaborate with our clients to produce the most cost-effective and innovative solutions. For more information, visit http://www.swinter.com.