Green Ideas

Start out by having Con Ed give you a free consultation on how to save power. You can explore options for solar power or switching to a company that saves you the electric delivery charges similarly, but after you get Con Ed's advice. Don't know if that would be enough to shift over to a dual gas/oil boiler, but that's a great saver and green.

Not familiar with the Con Ed process but Lucid is right in that it is not a one size fits all situation. If your building has bad windows, this may be the easiest and fastest solution. It also depends whether your motives are truly altruistic or if you are trying to cut energy bills (e.g. sustainable materials like bamboo might help the environment but aren't going to help your pocket). Along that line, solar photovoltaic panels are not the most cost effective approach. Solar water heating is much more practical, but doesn't get the press because it is not as sexy. It may be as simple as replacing your lighting.

The Department of Energy and NYSERDA are good sources for ideas and government incentives.

Thanks!

Contact NYSERDA

Water submetering:

http://www.americanwater.com/

Here are a few things you can do on an individual basis:

- low flow shower head and toilet
- use energy star appliances
- when you put in new floors, use bamboo
- install better windows (keep cold air in/hot air out)
- use a programmable thermostat
- use CFL lightbulbs (this makes a noticeable difference on your electric bill)

One of the big ones (surprisingly) would be to change all the lights in common areas (especially stairwells) into motion activated lights that only stay on when someone is in the space. Lord knows how many lights a building has, and if all of them were off 95% of the time, that would result in a real savings.

But considering that the building is already up and running, your options will be fairly limited in terms of an overall improvement for the building. Most of these tweaks need to be done to EACH apartment, and that is probably unrealistic.

(Matthew Russell - Brown Harris Stevens)

If your going to spend $100k, why not do it in a way that will increase property values? Skip all of the BS green stuff (which takes a VERY long time to pay for itself) and renovate the lobby.

"Here are a few things you can do on an individual basis:

- low flow shower head and toilet"

I'm sure the residents of the building would love having shower heads that only give out a small sprinkle of water...

" use CFL lightbulbs (this makes a noticeable difference on your electric bill)"

and are more expensive and contaminate your apt. if you drop one.

Not low-flow shower heads!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dlrtQb24Qxw

i love the people who mention bamboo floors. i don't remember the article, but it pointed out that the amount of green gases emitted just getting it here, is NOT GREEN. take into consideration that bamboo is a softer wood cannot be sanded so you'll have to replace it sooner then oak/cherry/maple/etc and it's NOT GREEN. they now make reinforced bamboo flooring. so they need to put special chemicals on it to make it harder. NOT GREEN.

@ The President (comment 1): You are right, doing a lobby or hallway renovation would be substantially better for resale. And considering that you only have 100k to play with, it will probably give you the most bang for your buck.

@ The President (comment 2): Have you used a low-flow shower head? They use less water by shaping the way the water comes out, not by just reducing the flow. I have one in my apartment and it is amazing. If anything your water pressure is what makes the low flow shower heads worse, not the head itself.

@ The President (comment 3): Initially they are more expensive, but they pay for themselves. Most things when dropped will contaminate your apartment, either with various metals or with glass. I'm guessing your presidential suite is carpeted.

@ Riversider: "No no, I don't sell that one... this is what they use to clean the elephants."

@ ab_11218: In terms of shipping, well... everything needs to be shipped from somewhere, so that is a moot point in terms of flooring. As far as Bamboo vs other materials, Bamboo is a weed. And it is far more environmentally conscience to use something which grows like wildfire in lieu of a tree which takes 50 years to grow.

(tru) bamboo.....green....anyone else getting the munchies?

I think you'll find pro and con articles, depending on who is doing the lobbying.
I'd bet bamboo is just as green or just as NOT green as every other material.
The "green industry" is now so much more an industry than a cause.

But anyway, yes I'd bet whatever they do to the bamboo to make it into flooring will make it just as weak/tough as the other floor materials.

But in it's raw and original form, it is by far the toughest wood.

Got to do your homework on bamboo just like anything else. Green is ultimately subjective but truthskr is right -- all woods are treated and bamboo can reach maturity in as little as 3 years.

By the way, Green roofs are another option: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122305471179402733.html

Why isn't it rooves?

How long until the "Green" bubble pops???

"Have you used a low-flow shower head?"

Sure have. Used it once and that was it. I replaced it with one of those massive Niagra Falls shower heads.

The low-flow water shower head makes me laugh. not because I think it's bad for us to conserve water, but because more water is lost because of the bad pipes leading from the reservoirs.

consider a "green roof" -- a planting on the roof or a portion of the roof. If the roof's not black, it will take in less energy, and the building will be easier to cool.

ali r.
DG Neary Realty

With a low flow shower head, wouldn't people just take longer showers? Or with a low flow toilet, people will be more inclined to flush twice.

My old classmate Alex Tarquinio wrote about this very topic for the New York Times in 2007:

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/15/realestate/15cov.html?scp=7&sq=Alex%20co-ops%20green&st=cse

She mentions many of the things discussed here -- more energy-efficient light bulbs, motion sensors, and also points out that solar panels on the roof can be used to power electrical devices that are used commonly by all residents, like elevators and lighting in the lobby.

And I will add that New York state has many juicy incentives for installing solar panels. These incentives make the payback period quite short for many solar installations -- to the tune of 5 years payback time for a medium sized project.

Check out this Times article and then search for New York state programs that give tax breaks for solar installations.

Good for you for asking, Windsor Court! Pay no attn to the President, he knows not whereof he speaks.

Residential buildings in New York City generate 20% of the city's entire carbon footprint. Every condo and co-op should be looking at ways to reduce that footprint.

Please report back on what changes your condo decides to make.