Newly Built Mixed-Use Multifamily Building for Women In Need (WIN) Earns Green Communities Certification

EN-POWER GROUP was hired as an energy consultant at Stone House, a 161-unit building in Brooklyn, New York, to ensure the facility achieved Green Communities Certification. Built for Women In Need (WIN), Stone House aims to serve formerly homeless families and low-income households, and its construction was supported by the NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development and the NYS Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance Homeless Housing Assistance Program.

In pursuing green building certification, EN-POWER GROUP engineers followed the certification framework established by Enterprise Green Communities (EGC) to ensure Stone House would successfully achieve compliance. This included helping the design architect choose sustainable building materials as well as specifying HVAC systems that provide excellent energy efficiency and indoor air quality. For heating and cooling, a variable refrigerant flow (VRF) system was selected because of its numerous benefits, including high performance, precise temperature control, and multi-zone control.

Once the facility’s design was finalized, our engineers ensured the as-built facility would perform per its intended design by conducting detailed system testing and documenting all phases of construction. This rigorous oversight process enabled blower door testing to catch leaks in the building’s envelope early in the construction process. We held meetings with the contractor to refine their installation method and ensure the building would be properly sealed, thereby reducing energy consumption and ensuring indoor air quality. As a result, Stone House earned its Green Communities certification and is now one of the largest supportive housing buildings in New York State.