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Steven Winter Associates Helps to Redefine Affordable Housing in the South Bronx

MARCH 27, 2013

Steven Winter Associates, Inc. is pleased to announce the completion of Arbor House, a LEED® Platinum rated affordable housing complex located in the South Bronx section of New York City.

LEED certification distinguishes structures that decrease operating costs, reduce waste sent to landfills, conserve energy and water, reduce harmful greenhouse gas emissions and, in turn, qualify for tax rebates and other incentives. In addition to earning LEED Platinum, the highest and most stringent certification available, the project also achieved National Green Building Standard™ Gold certification and the ENERGY STAR® label.

Arbor House is a high-performance building that aims to create a healthier and safer living space for occupants. In an interview with NY1, Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz, Jr. recently stated that the housing complex, “is cutting edge, we’re really leading the way citywide and statewide, and the best is yet to come.” Two of the building’s most noteworthy quality-of-life features are an 11,000-square-foot rooftop hydroponic greenhouse operated by commercial grower, Sky Vegetables, and Active Design elements including stairwell art and music, as well as indoor and outdoor workout facilities.

The building’s energy efficiency features include high-efficiency boilers, individual NEST thermostats in every room, and four micro-combined heat and power turbines. Continuously insulated concrete modular construction and fiberglass windows complete a high-performance thermal shell. Fresh air delivered to units, low-emitting finishes and anti-microbial products aim to reduce resident asthma rates, which are higher than average in the South Bronx, and round out the Arbor House as a national model for healthy affordable living.
Senior Vice President and Director of Steven Winter Associates’s Sustainable Housing Services, Maureen Mahle, stated, “This project raises the bar for affordable housing initiatives, not only in the South Bronx, but across the country. We were honored to have a role in setting such a precedent.” Ms. Mahle worked as the LEED® for Homes™ liaison, ensuring that the 123-unit apartment building reached the nationally recognized benchmark for green building.

Steven Winter Associates remains committed to advancing the proliferation of high-performance buildings through research, consulting and advisory services of commercial, residential, and multi-family built environments. By working with clients to produce the most cost-effective and innovative solutions, Steven Winter Associates has become a leader in sustainable living.