July 27, 2015
GreenHomeNYC’s August Tour: Net Zero in Brooklyn
GreenHomeNYC INVITES YOU TO
VISIT A Certified Net Zero Capable Passive House, the R-951 Residence
Want to know more about the first building in NYC to achieve both Passive House Institute certification and NYSERDA Net Zero capable rating? Join us, Wednesday, August 5th for a tour with Paul Castrucci Architect, Further, Inc. and Aeon Solar. Explore this newly constructed three family ultra-efficient row house that brings together modern aesthetics, sustainable design and a 12 KW solar array predicted to generate enough renewable energy to meet or exceed each apartment’s annual energy demand. As seen at http://R-951.com, state of the art building envelope, high efficiency systems and Energy Star appliances were used throughout R-951, which has benefited from NYC’s Green Zoning Initiative and a NYSERDA New York Energy Star Certified Home Tier 3 grant. Residents will benefit from a healthy, quiet comfortable all-electric home, private outdoor space, rainwater collection system, tax breaks, and much more! This tour is supported by sustainable building proponents at GreenHomeNYC, the NY Passive House Meetup, Solar One and NYSERDA EDGE. More information, contacts, images and press release are at http://R-951.com.Date: Wednesday, August 5th
Time: 6:30pm
Location: 951 Pacific Street, Brooklyn (map)
Cost: Suggested Donation of $8 (Donations cover our annual insurance costs to allow us to being you high-quality programming such as this)
Space is limited. RSVP Today!
Questions? Email [email protected].
July 6, 2015
July Tour: One Penn Co-Gen
Join GreenHomeNYC for a special tour of One Penn Plaza’s Combined Heat and Power plant!
Date: Wednesday, July 22nd, 2015 Time: 6:00 – 7:00 pm Location: 34th Street Lobby of One Penn Plaza (entrance btw 7th and 8th Avenues) Cost: $10 Early Bird; $15 Procrastinator Sign Up! This midtown office building produces 6.2 megawatts of energy on the 12th floor, greatly reducing peak demand burden on the City’s energy grid. Property manager Vornado invites GreenHomeNYC to explore their Combined Heat and Power (CHP) plant at the 57-story One Penn Plaza, a major contributor to the 2.5 million square foot building’s LEED-EB rating for existing buildings. Peak Power One CHP removes a burden of 20-25 million kwh per year from the City’s power grid, and supplies 50% of the electricity and 30% of the steam requirements to One Penn Plaza. By capturing waste heat from the engine generators and reusing it to power both heating and cooling systems for the building, the system achieves approximately double the efficiency of conventional power supplied by the grid (70+%). The higher efficiency reduces greenhouse gas emissions, making the building’s electricity usage 40% less carbon intensive.
Space is limited, so RSVP TODAY
May 8, 2015
GreenHomeNYC’s May Tour: Affordable and Sustainable
GreenHomeNYC INVITES YOU TO
DISCOVER GREEN AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN THE BRONX.
Date: Saturday, May 30th 2015
Time: 10:30AM – 12:30PM
Location: The event will begin at 2 West Farms Square Plaza, A short walk from the West Farms Sq-E Tremont Ave metro stop (2,5)
Cost: $15 Early Bird; $20 Procrastinator – Register
Speakers will include: Christopher Mahase, Director of Sustainability, New York City HPD Claire Donnelly, Project Manager Fordham Bedford Housing Corporation The Tour: West Farms Square is a 526-unit affordable housing originally constructed in the early 1970’s. In May 2011, Fordham Bedford Housing Corporation (FBHC) teamed up with University Neighborhood Housing Program (UNHP) to begin a much needed overhaul, addressing deferred maintenance items and renovating the buildings inside and out. With financing from Low Income Housing Tax Credits and tax exempt bonds, the project included: Micro-turbine co-generators, for onsite electricity Conversion from steam to hot water heating system High efficiency boilers Electrical submetering Efficient lighting and appliances New planted areas Three new playgrounds with recycled, permeable surfaces
Space is limited. RSVP Today!
April 8, 2015
Green Building Tours: Oko Farms Aquaponics Tour
There’s something fishy going on in Brooklyn, but in the best way possible! Despite predictions of snow, several intrepid GreenHomeNYC members made their way to Bushwick last month for a very informative tour of a local aquaponics farm. Oko Farms was founded by budding entrepreneurs Yemi Amu and Jonathan Boe, in collaboration with the Brooklyn Economic Development Corporation. It’s currently the largest outdoor aquaponics farm in New York City.
What is aquaponics? In simplest terms, it’s a method of growing fresh water fish and plants within a closed loop system that generates little or no waste. In the course of the tour conducted by co-founder Amu, it became apparent that this highly sustainable farming method can play a vital role in healthy, nutritious food production.
(more…)
March 9, 2015
March Tour: Aquaponics Farm
GreenHomeNYC Invites you to EXPLORE an AQUAPONICS FARM IN THE HEART OF BROOKLYN Join us on Saturday, March 28th for a tour of Oko Farms – an aquaculture and education company in Brooklyn! Through the process of aquaponics, Oko Farms raises freshwater fish along with a variety of vegetables and fruits to provide a model for sustainable urban food production. Aquaponics ecosystem water is continuously recycled leading to significantly less water use than traditional agriculture and commercial aquaculture. Guests will be treated to a hands-on demonstration of the innovative practice of nutrient cycling.
Date: Saturday, March 28th 2015
Time: 12PM – 1:30PM (Lunch after the tour TBD)
Location: 104 Moore St, Brooklyn, NY 11206
Cost: $10 with a GreenHomeNYC donation or $5 without a donation.
Please note the following:
• Visitors should bring water and sun protection such as hats, sunscreen, a long sleeved shirt, and/or anything else personally needed to maintain hydration and protection from the sun, cold, or rain.
• All visitors are expected to sign the farm’s Photo Release form. If you are 21 and under, we will email you the form before the day of the event, so that you can secure a signature of your parent/guardian.
• Bring a water bottle – water is readily available.
• Wear sturdy closed-toe shoes, bring gardening gloves, and a hat.
• Dress in comfortable, outdoor clothing and plan on getting a bit wet and dirty.
• This is a hands-on, working farm experience. You will have a fun and inspiring time!
Learn more at 
Space is limited. RSVP Today!
October 4, 2014
October Green Building Tours – Harbor School
INVITES YOU TO
A Sustainable School Tour: NY Harbor School
School is back in session! Join us on Thursday, October 23rd for a special morning tour of the New York Harbor School’s Billion Oyster Project! Date: Thursday, October 23rd 2014Time: 8:00 AM – 10:30AM (meet at South Ferry. Boat leaves at 8:15 AM sharp!) We will be returning on the 10:30am ferry back to Manhattan
Cost: $8.00
Billion Oyster Project (BOP) is a long-term, large-scale plan to restore one billion live oysters to New York Harbor over the next twenty years and in the process educate thousands of young people in New York City about the ecology and economy of their local marine environment. BOP is a partnership of schools, businesses, nonprofits, and individuals all working together to grow oysters and make our city a healthier and more resilient place to live. This partnership also includes local, state, and federal regulatory agencies – the New York City Department of Environmental Protection, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers – with whom we work closely to certify and monitor our aquaculture methodology and ongoing habitat restoration projects.
About the Harbor School:
Located in the heart of New York Harbor, and accessible only by ferry, Harbor School offers a unique, on-water learning experience for all its students.
Students learn to build and operate boats; spawn and harvest millions of oysters; design submersible, remotely-operated vehicles; conduct real-life research; and dive underwater. Students go on trips, tour colleges, hear and learn from experts in science and industry, and participate in the school’s on-going oyster restoration research program.
September 11, 2014
September ’14 Green Building Tour: Sunset Park Material Recovery Facility
invites you to join us on September 30th as we explore
Sims Municipal Recycling’s Sunset Park Material Recovery Facility!
Sims Municipal Recycling’s (SMR) processes all of NYC’s residential and institutional metal, glass and plastic recyclables, as well as half of the City’s paper. The new facility has a Recycling Education Center, where New Yorkers are encouraged to come see how recycling happens in NYC. The bright colors and interactive exhibits will engage younger visitors, and detailed information about their processing equipment and business strategy will spark questions for adults.
When: Tuesday September 30, 2014 6:30pm-8:00pm.
Where: 472 Second Avenue (NOT Street) Brooklyn, NY 11232.
The visit will start with introductory presentation and videos that will illustrate what happens after recyclables are put into the recycling bin. Visitors will then have some time to explore the interactive exhibits that detail the sorting operations. The tour continues onto the catwalk that oversees huge piles of recyclables and the operating equipment. As a member of the green economy, the Sims site also features a large solar panel installation, habitat mitigation through artificial reefs, native plantings, and fuzzy rope nets to encourage growth of filter feeders along the pier. Sims hopes that a visit to the recycling facility will forever change visitors’ perception of what it means to throw something “away.”
Space is limited – Register Today!
July 28, 2014
Sustainable Businesses Tour Recap – June’14
GreenHomeNYC’s Summer Sustainable Businesses Tour included a visit of three environmentally-responsible venues in Brooklyn: Our first stop was Build It Green!NYC (BIG) – New York City’s non-profit retail outlet for salvaged and surplus building materials and other household items, including refrigerators, doors, appliances, and even books! The tour of BIG NYC was lead by Harvey Jaswal, who provided a thorough outlook on the history of the venue, an overview of the store’s storage spaces and items available for purchase. Harvey also discussed the process by which businesses, home owners and developers can donate materials and appliances to BIG during building renovations. These materials can then be purchased by people looking for rare and vintage materials for thier own renovations. Architects and designers are oftentimes able to find unique items for a great price here!
From Build It Green, we headed over to our next stop – Lower East Side Ecology Center E-Waste Recycling Center to explore a warehouse that allows residents to dispose of old or broken electronics in an environmentally-responsible way. (more…)
July 8, 2014
Explore Bushwick Inlet Park with GreenHome NYC
INVITES YOU TO
Date: Thursday, July 24th 2014
Time: 6:30 PM
Cost: Suggested Donation of $5
Join us on Thursday, July 24th for a special after-work tour of the newly renovated Bushwick Inlet Park. Once a brownfield site located on the East River, this park has been transformed into one of the greenest spaces in the City and was recently honored by the American Institute of Architects (AIA) as one of 2014’s top ten examples of sustainable architecture.
It is now home to numerous playing fields as well as Parks Department offices and various community spaces. Designed by the architecture firm Kiss + Cathcart, with landscape architecture by Starr Whitehouse, the site contains ground source heat pump wells, rainwater harvest and storage, and drip irrigation for the green roof. Half the total energy used by the main building is generated by an onsite solar pv system. The park site encompasses almost 30 acres of land and surrounds Bushwick Inlet, a narrow, protected remnant of Bushwick Creek.
Guests will be treated to a behind-the-scenes look at the park’s green amenities as well as an in-depth discussion of the design and implementation of the park’s transformation. After the tour, guests are invited to continue the conversation over drinks at a nearby location TBD.
Space is limited.
June 16, 2014
Summer Brooklyn Bike Tour
Invites You to a Sustainable Bike Ride through Brooklyn!
Join us on Saturday, June 28th for a bike tour and inside look at three of the most sustainable spots in Brooklyn: a sustainable salvage retail outlet, an electronic waste recycling facility, and a yummy green café! Guests will bike to three cutting-edge spaces for behind-the-scenes tours guided by the architects and facilities staff leading each project. Afterwards, we’ll relax for a bite at Habana Outpost, New York’s first eco-eatery. Afterwards, we’ll relax and have a bite at Habana Outpost, New York’s first eco-eatery. Participants are encouraged to bring their own bikes, or may choose to walk the tour route.
Date: Saturday, June 28th 2014
Time: 10 AM – 1:30 PM
Cost: $8 before June 23rd; $12 after June 23
**Optional** Pre-order lunch at Habana Outpost! See menu Choose any meal option worth $8.75 or less and email Erica at [email protected] with your choice no later than 6/24/2014.
Build It Green!NYC
BuildItGreen! NYC is New York City’s only non-profit retail outlet for salvaged and surplus building materials. Their mission is to reduce the amount of unnecessary construction and demolition (C&D) waste clogging landfills, which contribute to pollution, GHG emissions, climate change and global warming, while offering deep discounts on product resale. Founded in late 2004, their Queens warehouse opened in February of 2005 and their second reuse center opened in Brooklyn in November 2011. Learn more at www.bignyc.org.
Lower East Side Ecology Center E-Waste Recycling Center
The Warehouse hosts a unique and innovative community-based program that allows residents to dispose of unwanted or broken electronics in an environmentally responsible way. The program started in 2003 and offers free collection events in neighborhoods throughout the city, accepting computers, monitors and peripherals (printers, keyboards and mice) as well as TV’s and cell phones.
This tour will take guests behind the scenes of the Lower East Side Ecology Center’s electronic waste recycling warehouse. The drop-off center can accommodate nearly 260,000 pounds of e-waste and accepts deliveries from homes, small businesses, and nonprofits from all over the metro area. Guests are welcome to bring unwanted electronics, like old cellphones and batteries.
Habana Outpost
Habana Outpost Brooklyn has green features in almost every facet of its operations. There are solar panels to generate electricity. A “sunlight chandelier” channels outside light into the restaurant. There’s a rainwater collection system that sanitizes, filters, and stores water. A human-powered blender does the mixing. The electric lighting system features state of the art fluorescent bulbs. The picnic tables are made from recycled plastic and sawdust. The plates, cups and cutlery are 100% biodegradable or compostable.
Sign up today!
Space is limited and tickets are going fast!