Solara Wins NYSERDA Buildings of Excellence Award
Solara Luxury Apartments in Rotterdam, NY was recently selected for the Buildings of Excellence competition run by NYSERDA, receiving a $750,000 award. The Buildings of Excellence Competition recognizes visionary developers and architects who design, build and renovate beautiful, low-carbon buildings. The Competition supports Governor Cuomo’s Green New Deal, the most aggressive climate change program in the nation that puts New York State on a path to economy wide carbon-neutrality as well as the State’s mandate for an 85 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.
The Buildings of Excellence Competition was launched in March 2019 and received 53 proposals from across the state. The 28 winners received $18 million in award funding. As part of the review process, each proposal had to demonstrate how the project achieves low carbon performance, is equipped with the ability for broad adoption, provides superior financial benefits for owners and offers a healthy and safe living environment for occupants. The projects selected will also provide comprehensive data on design, construction and cost that can be analyzed and shared to increase the number of low- to zero-carbon buildings in New York State.
Buildings of Excellence is the only competition of its kind and requires each project to demonstrate how it will achieve low carbon performance that is resilient and replicable with the ability for broad adoption, provides superior financial benefits for owners, and provides a healthy, safe and outstanding living environment for occupants.
Solara provides a leading example of how to build net zero energy housing at market rate rental prices while being profitable for the developer. This is achieved through a design that utilizes a smart and pragmatic mix of conventional and readily accessible materials, familiar building practices and technologies. The design reduces energy use through a practical combination of extensive air sealing,
continuous exterior insulation, air source heat pumps for heating and cooling, energy recovery ventilation, premium windows, and solar hot water. The design also incorporates passive solar features including optimal site layout, high solar heat gain glazing, and exterior solar shades. An advanced Building Management System custom tailors ventilation to each individual apartment. Photovoltaic solar panels mounted on carports produce enough electricity to offset 100% of the buildings’ annual consumption.
Per capita carbon emissions are further reduced by offering 36, free-to-use, EV charging stations to encourage electric vehicle adoption. The building Energy Use Intensity is projected to be 16.9 kBTU/square foot/year, less than a quarter of a typical apartment building in the Northeast US (76 kBTU/sf/yr, 2009 average).
Rental rates for Solara apartments are competitive with similar market-rate housing in the region. Including all utilities in the rental prices provides additional income to offset the extra capital expenditures in energy efficiency measures and renewable energy, while creating a hugely popular amenity for the tenant. Apartment rent includes heat, air-conditioning, electricity, hot water, water, sewer, high speed internet, DISHTV, trash disposal & snow removal.
The apartments are EPA IndoorAir+ certified, using low-VOC finishes and materials, plus continuous fresh air ventilation with intelligent "smart" control that regulates humidity and monitors CO2 and VOC levels for superior indoor air quality. Solara also features smart-home technology, full-sized in-unit laundry, walk-in closets, private apartment decks, package delivery room, bike storage, elevators and covered parking. On-site community features include a dog park, fitness center, solar-heated pool, dog wash station, and event spaces.
Solara exemplifies an integrated design process with strong collaboration between Black Mountain Architecture, Bruns Realty Group, Harris Sanders Architects, Ballston Mourningkill Associates, ME Engineering, Environmental Design Partnership, En-Tech Associates, and E2G Solar.
Solara demonstrates that market-rate, low-carbon buildings are superior to conventional developments by providing a popular housing alternative that delivers enhanced comfort and convenience to its occupants.
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