the specialists
Opposite page: Intervale Green is the largest multifamily, Energy Star-certified affordable-housing development in the nation. Left: WHEDco’s Intervale Green has 85% efficient boilers and hot-water heaters, low-flow faucets and showerheads, and highly energy-efficient windows.
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WHEDco developed the site into the award-winning Urban Horizons Economic Development Center. As the president and founder of WHEDco, Biberman has been Completed in 1997, the working in the Bronx for thriving community the past 20 years. hub includes an early childhood discovery center, a commercial kitchen that incubates small food businesses, a healthcare center, and 132 affordable apartments featuring higher-end amenities such as ceramic-tile kitchen backsplashes and sconces and chair rails in the hallways. “My approach to developing affordable housing is different from other developers because I saw firsthand how degrading horrible housing could be,” Biberman says. “Rather than building quickly and cheaply, I discovered that you could build sound, aesthetically pleasing homes for the same price.” Following the success of Urban Horizons, WHEDco began work on its next project, Intervale Green, the nation’s largest Energy Star-certified, multifamily affordable-housing development. Completed in 2009, the complex features 128 affordable apartments. “With
The number of units created in the South Bronx through one of Nancy Biberman’s earliest projects.
American Builders Quarterly
Top 5 Elements of Sustainable Housing Projects 1 Low-flow showerheads and Intervale Green, we decided to faucet aerators minimize water use. ramp up WHEDco’s focus on environmental stewardship,” 2 A tight building envelope via Biberman says. “As a result, we weatherstripping and insulation cuts used 85 percent-efficient boilers down on heating and cooling costs. and hot-water heaters, low-flow 3 Properly sized boilers aren’t so faucets and showerheads, big that they suck up excess energy. energy-efficient windows, and nontoxic building materials.” 4 CFL bulbs and occupancy Now, WHEDco is working on sensors for light fixtures avoid a The Bronx Music Heritage needless waste of electricity. Center, a development featuring 5 Proper ventilation including a cultural center and community appropriate controls for heat performance space, an artscirculation and pumps. based high school, a hydroponic roof garden, an open green space, and 293 affordable apartments with live/work space for elder musicians. “Because the physical environment and quality of life in communities have a profound effect on the people who live there, our goal is to create outwardfacing buildings that improve conditions in the areas surrounding our housing,” Biberman says. “We want our building to be not just for the residents but part of the community at large.” —Julie Edwards
sept/oct 2011
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