Ravenswood Houses to Receive Upgrades through RetrofitNY

On June 30, some residents of Ravenswood Houses’ building 12 met with NYCHA and partners to learn more about the upcoming project that will bring sustainability upgrades to their building and apartments through the RetrofitNY program. 

RetrofitNY is a New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) program that aims to help lower the cost of deep energy retrofits for multifamily buildings in New York, making the goal of carbon-neutral buildings (buildings that consume significantly less energy) achievable for low- and middle-income residents. 

The Ravenswood project will dramatically reduce energy by making small and large improvements that reduce the building’s use of gas, oil, electricity, and/or water while maintaining or improving resident health and comfort. The goal is to reach net-zero energy, which means that the building produces as much energy as it consumes in a year. Net-zero buildings also help improve quality of life through improved ventilation, indoor air quality, and reduced noise. 

NYCHA and NYSERDA are working with Hester Street, an urban planning, design, and community development non-profit, to host meetings for residents to collect input and feedback, as well as to keep residents informed about the project’s progress. The project’s design team is led by Cycle Architecture. 

During the kickoff meeting, residents were provided with an overview of the work to be completed at building 12, both building-wide and in apartments. The building will receive a new insulated façade and improved windows to better insulate the building; a ventilation system that filters and pre-cools incoming air in warm weather and preheats it during colder months; solar panels on the roof to reduce energy consumption; roof insulation; a new heating and cooling system and electrical service upgrades; and new common area lighting. 

The program will feature an innovative construction method where the exterior panel system will be built offsite to reduce on-site work.  As a result, much of the work is done from the outside of the building, minimizing the amount of work in apartments and disruptions to residents. 

Inside their apartment, residents will receive wall-mounted heating and cooling units so they can control the temperature inside their home; energy-efficient appliances and lighting upgrades in kitchens and bathrooms, including new electric stoves, washer/dryer combination units, and energy-efficient, long-lasting LED light bulbs; and new ventilation throughout the apartment to provide fresh air and reduce indoor contaminants. Many of the apartment upgrades will address common resident complaints, including inconsistent heating and cooling, overheated apartments, drafty windows, and more. 

The estimated cost of the upgrades, $13.6 million, will be funded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Construction is estimated to begin in June 2022 and be completed in 12 months.   

At the kickoff meeting, residents provided their input on the finish of the building’s exterior, hallway paint color, faucet and showerhead options, and lighting fixtures and also asked questions about the project. 

Building 12 at Ravenswood was chosen for the initial pilot because of how accessible it is for the necessary equipment and transport, the relatively good condition of its electrical infrastructure, and how it is representative of a typical NYCHA building. Due to current budget constraints, the other 30 buildings at Ravenswood will not be retrofitted at this time; however, the goal is replicate this pilot at other NYCHA developments in the future. 

The Ravenswood RetrofitNY project helps bring NYCHA one step closer to its vision of making its 2,500-plus buildings more energy efficient and sustainable.