Overview: A two-part look at the architecture and engineering of a 217-unit affordable housing project as it pushes toward net zero.
Presentation 1:
Going the Last Mile: Getting to Net Zero in Dense Urban Environments
Presented by Crystal Ng and Mark Ginsburg, Curtis + Ginsberg Architects
The Jennings Hall Expansion not only sought to add 217 all-electric units of senior affordable housing wrapped in a 14-story Passive House enclosure in East Williamsburg, Brooklyn, but also to push toward net-zero goals, all while constrained by a dense urban site and a nearby subway tunnel. Critical to crushing overall energy use was tackling domestic hot water, ventilation, heating, and cooling with integrated solar, hydronic, and ERV systems.
Presentation 2:
Hydronic Energy Balance for the Win
Presented by Elias Dagher, Pennoni
In addition to the many architectural and façade elements intended to reduce energy consumption, the HVAC and Domestic Hot Water Systems were designed to use water-source heat pumps coupled with a ground-source geo-exchange (geothermal) system that leverages multiple zones and diverse uses to further dramatically reduce energy use and carbon emissions. The approach offers a way to minimize the negative impacts of VRF refrigerants and realize the energy savings that ultra-low-energy Passive House buildings are designed to achieve.
1.25 AIA & 1 PHI CEUs
