Hudson Valley Green Building Trends

By Rick Alfandre, AIA, LEED AP BD+C

President Alfandre Architecture, PC
www.alfandre.com

 As an Ulster-based architecture firm specializing in sustainable and green development, we see a considerable rise in sustainable and green construction and development in the Hudson Valley.  As we know, buildings have a substantial impact on the health and wellbeing of people and the planet.

The quality of our living, learning, and working environments has a substantial effect on how healthy and productive we are.   Most people spend most of their lives indoors.  

Buildings use resources, generate waste and are costly to operate.  In the US buildings use substantially more energy than transportation. 

Green and sustainable building is the practice of designing, constructing and operating buildings to maximize occupant health and productivity, use fewer resources, and enhance the ecology of our planet.

Why Build Green? Green buildings are better buildings.  Benefits of building green include:

·       Faster lease up with higher lease rates

·       Higher resale value

·       Healthy indoor spaces

·       Lower use of energy, water, and other resources

·       Better for building occupants, better for the community, and better for the environment.

·       Enhances your brand and establishes you as a leader in building better projects.

Healthy Buildings, Healthy People, Healthy Communities, and a Healthful Planet

At Alfandre Architecture we design and build locally while always mindful of the impact of buildings on our global footprint.  There are many aspects to building in a healthy manner.  All structures we design, and build, are created to be ultra-energy-efficient, climatically responsive, and solar ready.

We are always mindful of a building’s impacts on the site, water and energy efficiency, materials selection, and indoor air quality.

 One important, and major, current “trend” is Building Electrification.

M&T Bank in Balmville with Ground Source Heat Pump - design by Alfandre Architecture, PC

Building electrification refers to using electric technologies instead of combustion-fueled technologies to supply the comforts of a modern building. An electrified building typically uses electric heat pumps for space heating, cooling, and domestic hot water, as well as electric or induction stoves for cooking.  Every major end use for fossil fuels in buildings is ready to be electrified with currently available technologies.

Heated and Cooled with Ground Source Heat Pump, New Friary at Graymoor, in Garrison - design by Alfandre Architecture, PC

Electrification supports the long-term goal of building decarbonization. The electricity grid is getting greener and cleaner. By designing and constructing buildings to harmonize with the grid we reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

While electric resistance heat is 100% efficient at converting electricity into heat, a heat pump provides, at least two to four units of energy for every one unit of energy consumed.   Fossil fuel heating systems range from 80-95% percent efficient, at best.

Heat pump technologies use energy in highly efficient ways which save building owners money.  Heat pumps provide cooling as well as heating.  Air conditioners (and refrigerators) are heat pumps in reverse. They make a space cooler by extracting heat from it and releasing the heat in a warmer place. The key to this magic is the refrigerant, a fluid that changes from a liquid to a gas at ambient temperatures. After absorbing heat, the gas moves through a mechanical compressor that squeezes the heat back out.

Heat Pump

Efficiency is noted as the annual “coefficient of performance”, or COP, which is the relative measure of how much energy is delivered compared to how much energy is used.

Heat pumps include Ground Source (GSHP) and Air Source (ASHP) systems:

Ground source heat pumps (GSHP), extract energy from the ground by tapping the relative constant temperature of the Earth from about 5 feet, or more, below the surface. GSHPs have some great environmental advantages over other heating and cooling systems.  GSHPs use the consistent temperatures within the Earth as a heat sink to provide energy-efficient heating in the winter and cooling in the summer. In commercial applications most GSHP systems rely on a field of drilled wells fitted with a closed loop set of tubing through which fluid flows. By releasing building heat to the cool earth, rather than into hot outdoor air, GSHPs cool more efficiently than air conditioners or air-source heat pumps. Most GSHP systems have a COP of over 3.5.

Ground Source Heat Pump

Air Source Heat Pumps (ASHP) extract heat (energy)from the outside air when heating is needed and discharge heat to the outside air when cooling is needed. Air Source Heat Pump systems are available in many sizes and form factors, including small and large ducted systems as well as small ductless “mini splits” systems.   Most air source heat pump systems have an average annual COP of over 2.5. This means that the system is 250% efficient.  In all cases the compressor system is located outside the building.   

 Energy efficient building design coupled with heat pump systems and clean energy from the grid is helping us to decarbonize our built environment.  Building electrification is becoming common place throughout the building sectors from government, multifamily affordable housing and single family residential.   Most recently built affordable and market rate housing projects in the area use ground source heat pump systems for heating, cooling and hot water.  The Town of New Paltz Police and Court building and the Village of New Paltz Fire Station are all electric buildings.  The future Ulster County Government Operations Center will be heated and cooled using GSHP systems.  Almost all new single-family homes in the are use ASHP or GSHP systems. 

Healthy building is a trend that will keep growing as more people are concerned about their health and the health of the planet.  The Energy Code of New York State is becoming increasing more restrictive every three years.  Market drivers along with building codes are requiring designers, manufacturers, and builders to become more innovative.  Buildings in New York State account for about 1/3 of all greenhouse gas emissions.  As such NYS Government officials are pushing new laws that will require all new construction to be fully electric starting in 2024

Alfandre Architecture’s Net Positive Energy Building - 231 Main Street, New Paltz, NY

The new New Paltz Fire Station with Air Source Heat Pumps (ASHP) and Radiant Heat Design - design by Alfandre Architecture, PC