Join us for our Annual Spring Green Buildings Open-House!

On May 18^th, discover what makes New York City one of the greenest metropolises in the world.  See first-hand what is being done to further develop our sustainability and resiliency for the future.   The one-day event will take guests behind the scenes to see sustainable sites throughout the city. Tours will highlight cutting edge innovations in building energy, water management, waste management, urban agriculture, and more.   Date:  Saturday, May 18^th 2013 Time: Between 10AM and 3PM Cost:  Varies by Tour   Choose from a number of exciting tours!   424 Melrose Street – A Passive Multifamily in Brooklyn Having designed energy efficient projects since 1996, Architect Chris Benedict brings the concept of passive building design to Bushwick with her latest project at 424 Melrose Street.  The 24-unit apartment house is designed to comply with the stringent passive house standard while being completed at the same price as typical construction by thoughtfully rethinking the infrastructure of the building.  The building also features a solar heated domestic hot water system. The building is currently under construction, so guests will be able to tour the site and get a first hand-look at the guts of the building.   Lower East Side Ecology Center – Urban Compost Tour This tour will take guests behind the scenes of the newly renovated Environmental Learning Center.  Guests will learn about the sustainable features of the building including it’s green roof system and oyster gardens, and will discuss the future green improvements in ventilation and solar power.  We will also tour the compost site to see how food waste collected at the Union Square Greenmarket and at the Ecology Center’s community garden are turned into composting using an in-vessle system and windrows.     Arbor House – Affordable Housing Meets Hydroponic Agriculture This state of the art affordable housing development features a 10,000 sqft fully integrated hydroponic greenhouse on the roof! The farm will use harvested rainwater and will be used to provide fresh, healthy vegetables to the building’s tenants and surrounding community, making a significant contribution to food access and public health in the neighborhood.   The Visionaire – Low Footprint Luxury Natural passive lighting, integrated air and water filtration systems, micro-turbines, an integrated photovoltaic curtain wall, rooftop gardens, and an in-house wastewater treatment system help make this LEED Platinum condominium a prime example of innovative design and systems integration.  Nice views of the harbor too!       Brooklyn Botanical Garden Visitor’s Center – Water, Water Everywhere! Just like a good garden, the new visitor’s center at the Brooklyn Botanical Garden is not only attractive, it’s also ecologically sustainable.  Among the features that makes this a LEED Gold candidate are geothermal wells, on-site harvested wood walls, passive lighting, and a living roof that will capture 200,000 gallons of rainwater annually!   MiMA Tower and Clinton Community Garden – Two for One Tour   MiMA Tower Designed by one of the world’s leading architecture and design firms, Arquitectonica, MiMA is a 63-story glass wall tower featuring 50 floors of luxury rentals, 151 premium tower residences and a new 669-room Yotel. Also onsite, the all-new Pershing Square Signature Center provides three separate theatre and performance spaces designed by Frank Gehry.   The MiMA residential property’s LEED Gold certification reflects Related’s industry-leading commitment to sustainability.   Clinton Community Garden  In 1984, the Clinton Community Garden became the first community garden in New York City to be granted permanent parkland status. The city-owned property was leased through Operation GreenThumb in 1979 and organized into two sections, a public front garden with a lawn and flower beds and a back area for individual plots. Over the next several years, the back garden was expanded from the west to the east, so that 108 garden plots were eventually created. Paths were built from salvaged brick, and fences and gates were put in to protect the garden and separate the public area from the plots in the back. Stone benches were made from recycled slabs of slate and concrete blocks.   Today this little spot of heaven is one of the most organized community gardens in the world.  It receives regular press from around the country, and when members are present, particularly on weekends, the garden is open to visitors.  Our tour guide will be Andy Padian, who has been a member of the garden for 23 years.   After the MiMA Tower and Clinton Community Garden tour, guests are encouraged to expolre the 40th Annual Ninth Avenue International Food Festival which runs from 42nd to 57th Streets in Hell’s Kitchen.   Signup today!  Space is limited