Energy-Saving Tips for Renters
Deal of the Day by Sarah Morgan

Make sure your home is properly insulated. Replace your windows to cut down on drafts. Install a new energy-efficient heating system.

As consumers grow more energy-conscious, and environmental advocates push for greater awareness, there is no shortage of suggestions for new ways to cut energy bills and help the planet in the process. The cost-savers can be great for homeowners — but what about renters?

It turns out that many leases prevent tenants from making changes that could lead to substantial energy savings. For example, blocking drafts with caulking or foam sealant could be considered an illegal alteration or improvement in most leases. So might installing a programmable thermostat. “The things you can do as a renter are fairly limited,” says Bomee Jung, a member of the board of directors of Green Home NYC, a volunteer-run organization that helps New York residents make their buildings more sustainable.

Read on at SmartMoney.com: Energy-Saving Tips for Renters

By LAURA CASO

El Mundo - 439 Metropolitan

An article in Spanish newspaper El Mundo about Mark Helder’s 439 Metropolitan Ave. project! GreenHomeNYC’s Green Buildings Database gets a mention.

Este inmueble residencial se integra en la red de Green Home NYC, una organización sin ánimo de lucro que pretende concienciar a los propietarios de pequeños inmuebles residenciales o comerciales de Nueva York para que se apunten a la construcción verde.

Esta iniciativa se compone de 71 edificios (de momento), y en ella se pueden encontrar desde una promoción de viviendas sociales en el Bronx hasta las oficinas centrales de la editorial Condé Nast, en pleno Times Square, el primero de esas dimensiones (48 plantas, 149.000 metros cuadrados y 247 de altura) en apuntarse a la edificación sostenible.

5 Ways to Cheaper, Cleaner Energy at Home
Deal of the Day by Sarah Morgan

Your first step should be to make your home as energy efficient as possible, particularly if you’re planning to invest in an energy-generating system. “If you’re not changing your consumption, the investment is going into the wrong place,” says Bomee Jung, a spokeswoman for GreenHomeNYC, a volunteer organization that connects building owners with green building services and materials firms. The Department of Energy’s Energy Savers web site provides information on how to reduce your electricity use – the easiest and most cost-effective way to go green.

Habitat - June 2009 (Click to view article)

HABITAT magazine is an independent publication with paid circulation targeting decision-makers at the 8000+ residential co-ops, condos, and homeowner associations in the New York City greater metropolitan area.

Bomee Jung and Erik Nevala-Lee are quoted, talking about the advice GreenHomeNYC volunteers give to co-op residents looking to green their building. Contact us if you’d like to hear more about House Calls.

Arirang Prime #20 - eco-Seoul: The Green Revival of Seoul

GreenHomeNYC helped to arrange site visits for this TV piece comparing green building in New York, Germany, and Korea. Includes clip (25:36 - 29:10) on 439 Metropolitan Ave and Green Depot.

Profiles GreenHomeNYC founder Bomee Jung. Click image to view on koreadaily.com

Korean-American climate change advocate cultivates a “green New York City”
Profile of GreenHomeNYC board member Bomee Jung.

In Manhattan’s new “green competition”, buildings vei to out do each other on CO2 reduction rather than height

Article on New York City green building quotes GreenHomeNYC board member Andy Padian. GreenHomeNYC arranged and accompanied the reporters on various site visits for this article.

Kookmin Ilbo - 8/25/2008

Includes statement from board member Gita Nandan.

Townhouses go green
By Lauren Elkies

Green features at 156 Reade Street include geothermal heating and cooling systems with air filtration. It is double-insulated, has purified air and water and features nontoxic natural surfaces.

New York City’s single-family townhouses are getting a green makeover.

Developers and architects are using ecologically friendly materials and methods to build and renovate houses on the Upper East Side, Upper West Side, Harlem and Brooklyn.

Read more at The Real Deal

Green Home: A TV Star Returns to his Roots
By Bari Nan Cohen

ADRIAN GRENIER, the star of HBO’s hit comedy Entourage and this summer’s film adaptation of The Devil Wears Prada, is relaxing in Brooklyn, tossing around phrases like “off the grid” and “r-value,” the term that identifies insulation’s resistance to heat flow. His Prius is parked in Hollywood, but his biggest commitment to environmental conservation is in the heart of Brooklyn, where he’s building a sustainable home. At this moment, he’s the opposite of his Entourage alter ego, Vinny Chase, who’s much more interested in finding off-the-hook parties than off-the-grid energy sources.

….

“Renovating is daunting enough, but adding the additional research and decision-making to create a greener house makes it that much more stressful,” says Grenier. “I’ll be honest—sometimes I wanted to give up and go with the status quo.” Instead, he surfed the Internet in search of ideas, ultimately finding GreenHomeNYC (greenhomenyc.org), a volunteer organization of professional green building consultants that offers advice to New York City tenants and homeowners on greening up their living quarters. With the help of consultant Lauren Gropper, Grenier was able to direct his contractor to eco-friendly materials for practically every application in the house