At Habitat NYC and Westchester County, we have a vision of an equitable New York in which all people have access to healthy, affordable homes.
From our building methods to conserving resources in our office, Habitat NYC and Westchester County is taking steps to work greener, cleaner and most importantly, smarter.
Learn more about our environmentally friendly work!
On our Construction Sites: Building and Preserving Healthy Homes
As a non-profit affordable housing developer, we strive to build and preserve healthy homes for hard-working families. We have employed various green and sustainable building methods for several years now. We have built homes to LEED standards (Silver and Gold), and have implemented standards set forth in Enterprise Green Communities building criteria as well as NYSERDA performance program protocol.
Our methods of green building include:
- Installing low-flow water fixtures
- Providing EnergyStar appliances
- Installing low energy LED lighting
We are currently exploring the possibilities of more energy efficient designs and use of energy based on renewable resources, like passive standards and solar energy. Our remodeling of dilapidated and abandoned houses into safe, affordable and energy efficient family homes helps to preserve neighborhoods and communities in the city, one house at a time. In the end, our families are healthier, wealthier and more resilient.
Habitat Net Zero: Building Greener
Our newest project, Habitat Net Zero, will meet Enterprise Green Communities Criteria and incorporate Passive House elements, reducing heat and cooling demand by up to 90 percent and energy demand by up to 75 percent. These features complemented with solar panels aim to keep energy use of the homes over a year close to net zero.
These energy efficient, modular homes will be the first new construction properties on the Interboro Community Land Trust (CLT) which we cofounded to ensure that future generations of first-time home buyers, Habitat Homeowners, and their communities benefit from the stability, long-term affordability, and equity building power of home.
A Brush with Kindness: Kind to People and the Earth
Our A Brush with Kindness (BWK) program, in which volunteers painted, landscaped or performed other light work to improve public spaces, has brightened the lives of thousands of New Yorkers.
Because we understand that a city needs to balance living space with green space, BWK worked in community gardens, playgrounds and other outdoor areas. BWK used only non-toxic, no-VOC paint, and that helped keep volunteers and community members healthier and safer.
At the ReStore: Reducing, Reusing & Recycling
Our ReStore, a retail concept that sells donated furniture, appliances, building materials and more at up to 80 percent off the original price, is one of our major green initiatives. Reusing and repurposing these materials keeps landfills empty and sidewalks cleaner. In our first two years of operation, the ReStore diverted more than 750 tons of household items from landfills!
The ReStore donation trucks can drive up to 15,000 miles a year – that’s every street in the city… twice! That can contribute to a lot of CO2 emission. Through a grant made possible by the Attorney General of New York’s office, the ReStore now uses two all-electric trucks to pick up ReStore donations. These trucks are clean and quiet, keeping our streets cleaner and more pleasant for everyone!
We work hard every day to build and preserve safe, decent and affordable housing for New Yorkers, but those homes would mean nothing if we didn’t have a sustainable city. That’s why at Habitat NYC and Westchester County, we care as much about our greater habitat.