New York City Is Home To Largest Passive House Building in the U.S.
New York City offers a concentration of passive affordable homes.
According to Clean Technica, “ideally, this is the way that all affordable housing should be developed,” Sadie McKeown, president of the Community Preservation Corporation, an affordable housing finance company that was not involved with Sendero Verde, told The Guardian this week. “When you develop something [with] passive house [principles], the benefits to the tenants are great,” she said, noting sound insulation, fresh air, and lower bills. “The buildings just stand up better to extreme weather conditions, whether that’s wind, rain, heat or excess cold.”
Developers say Sendero Verde uses about half the energy of a comparable non-passive building thanks to insulation, sealing to prevent leakage, thick windows, and ventilation. The result is clean air, quiet interiors, and stable temperatures, even if the power goes out. Spurred by both government incentives and mandates to build greener, such projects offer comfortable, healthy environments to residents who are often the most vulnerable to the effects of a warming planet.
Passive House Living In NYC
Sendero Verde consists of two mid-rise buildings, completed in 2022, and a 34-story tower completed in April of 2024. Its features include:
- Energy Star-rated appliances
- Large window/natural lighting
- Electric range and oven
- High efficiency HVAC
- Programmable thermostats
- Tile bathroom floors
- Wood kitchen cabinets
- Dishwasher
- Eco-friendly LVT plank flooring
