Consisting of four buildings, HELP ONE is a mixed-use, phased development project in Brooklyn, NY. With the construction of Phase 1 completed earlier this year, two new supportive housing buildings now provide 255 units for formerly unhoused families. These buildings also include common spaces with on-site support offices and youth programming. Designed by Curtis + Ginsberg Architects, building A is a NYSERDA Buildings of Excellence Award winner.
To achieve their high-performance building standards, buildings in Phase 1 incorporate the following design features:
- Thick insulation at walls and roof
- Thermal breaks at connections
- Energy efficient LED lighting throughout
- Energy Star appliances Water conserving plumbing fixtures
- Variable Refrigerant Flow (VRF) System: improving efficiency as the system captures residual heat and reuses it in other areas of the building that may need heating
- Energy Recovery Ventilators (ERVs): providing filtered fresh air to the common areas and apartment units. Alongside improved indoor air quality, these passive house certified ERVs will also result in lower annual energy costs.
- Solar: Each building in Phase 1 includes a PV system, with Building A supporting a 97 kW PV system, and Building B a 25 kW system.
Embodying high-performance building standards, HELP ONE will provide a healthy, comfortable environment for its residents, while also having lower ongoing operating costs.
