Beach Green North, located in Far Rockaway, Queens, features a 94,000 sf building, including 101 residential units along with amenity spaces for it’s tenants. Building to Passive House standards not only saves energy and reduces carbon emissions, it also results in cost savings for both the owner and the tenants by lowering overall utility bills and creating more durable, sustainable, and comfortable spaces.
Steven Winter Associates (SWA) was selected as the Passive House (PH) verifier for the project, aimed at meeting the stringent PHIUS Standard. Working in collaboration with The Bluestone Organization and Curtis + Ginsberg Architects, the team achieved in bringing the project goals to fruition.
The majority of this structure has been constructed with insulated concrete forms. This system has several benefits including reduced thermal bridging and speed of construction, and is quickly becoming a favorite of PH developers for low to mid-rise construction. While this system has a myriad of benefits, it does pose some unique challenges when compared to traditional stick framing. Particular attention to detail at the punched openings—windows and doors—is critical to meet the demanding Passive House air tightness requirements. Working in conjunction with the developer, general contractor, and window supplier, SWA was able to assist the team in assessing the best methods for air sealing these details. Mock-ups combined with air leakage testing resulted in a winning solution that could be replicated throughout the building.
Construction is complete and in April of 2018, Beach Green North was officially certified to PHIUS+ 2015 standards!