BETHANY senior TERRACES
2021 blue ribbon award in second round of nyserda buildings of excellence competition
LOCATION: Brooklyn, NY
PROGRAM: Affordable Independent Residences for Seniors (AIRS)
TOTAL AREA: 39,200 SF
CLIENT: RiseBoro Community Partnership
PARTNERS: New York Engineers; Murray Engineering, ZeroEnergy Design
Taking advantage of its solar exposure, the project proposes a series of southern terraces stepping down to a large, common garden located off of the building lobby. By placing community spaces off of these terraces, and by offering a variety of outdoor spaces – big and small, sunny and shaded – the design creates space for socialization, activity, and leisure. This ‘loop’ of exterior terraces is connected by a continuous series of exterior stairs, offering entrances to interior social spaces at every floor, from the cellar community room and seating terrace to the 4th floor pantry and shaded terrace.
The fully-electrified project is slated to be Passive House certified by Passive House US (PHIUS), and includes a +/- 130 kW rooftop solar array. For heating and cooling, an energy efficient VRF heat pump system is proposed for the cooling system. Based on PCA's solar feasibility study submitted to HPD, Bethany Senior Terraces' solar is projected to cover over 100% of the building’s common area electricity use and about 80% of the entire building’s energy use.
Certifications will include:
PHIUS Passive House Certified
EPA Water Sense
EPA Indoor AirPlus
DOE Zero Energy Ready
Enterprise Green Community, the nation’s only national green building program designed explicitly for green affordable housing construction.
The project is intended to utilize modular construction, controlling total project cost, decreasing construction time, and minimizing waste.