In a letter to the editor that appeared in this week’s edition of Crain’s, Richard M. Cherry, President of the Community Environmental Center (“CEC”), described his organization’s experience at 1347 Bristow Street in order to make a general point about green building cost premiums. The $3.7 million project, a twenty-five unit apartment building in the Morrisania neighborhood in the Bronx, should earn a LEED Silver rating after being completed earlier this year and involved the gut rehabilitation of 21,350 square feet. Green features included the installation of a condensing gas-fired boiler, fiberglass-framed low-e glass windows, and a variety of energy-efficient appliances and light fixtures. The building’s insulation is also made from fireproof, recycled, blown-in rockwool. Rehab work began in January of 2006 and wrapped up early this summer. In his letter, Mr. Cherry noted how CEC was able to assist the project team in implementing these sustainable features at a premium of only $5 per square foot, or less than five percent of the overall construction cost.
CEC is a New York City-based non-profit that assists architects and contractors in implementing sustainable measures on their projects. It also established Solar One and Build It Green! NYC (Gotham’s only non-profit retail source for salvaged building materials and products). Significantly, Mr. Cherry pegged the average premium for incorporating sustainable elements into projects on which CEC has participated at $3 to $7 per square foot.
- Opportunity to Rehab Multi-Family Buildings (RE Weekly)
- Green Energy Arts and Education Center (gbNYC)
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