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By Tomo Tsuda, PE
November 2010, The Construction Specifier
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
Monday, November 8, 2010
Green Affordable Housing is Going Mainstream
Just the Basics Once the Exception, Green Affordable Housing is Going Mainstream
Future development phases, expected to begin in a year or two, will build 1,000 units of mixed-income housing with 80 percent affordable.
Focusing on the Basics
As developers gain experience building green, many are adopting standard packages of green features. “It’s mainly nuts and bolts things like high efficiency boilers, good construction to make buildings air tight, balanced ventilation systems, proper lighting levels and lighting controls and low-flow plumbing fixtures,” explains Ryan Merkin, senior project manager, Steven Winter Associates, New York.
“The basics are what really make the most significant differences in building performance,” Stein says. “It’s the little things that add up to significant energy savings for a building,”
Courtlandt Corners I and II, a 423,000-sq.-ft. development with 323 apartments in four buildings on East 161st Street in the Bronx, takes this basic approach to sustainability. The project, designed by Dattner, features high performance building envelops, energy efficient HVAC systems, Energy Star appliances and lighting, apartments sealed for ventilation tightness and low flow plumbing fixtures. Completion is scheduled for the end of 2010.
Courtlandt’s developer, the Phipps Houses Group, New York, also enlisted Dattner to design a companion project called Courtlandt Crescent with similar sustainable features. The project will consist of two buildings housing 217 apartments and 10,000-sq.-ft. of community space. Construction is expected to start in July 2011.
Over the past 10 years developer Les Bluestone, cofounder of Huntington, N.Y.-based Blue Sea Development, has refined a set of methods and features now incorporated into all his affordable projects. He focuses on the core and shell, making sure the building is well insulated and sealed, and indoor air quality.
Instead of a central ventilation system Bluestone air seals and ventilates each apartment separately with a continuously running fan that “uses less energy than a light bulb. “Trickle vents at the windows guarantee a steady supply of fresh air. Low-VOC materials help ensure good indoor air quality.
This spring Bluestone completed the $15.3 million General Colin L. Powell Apartments in the South Bronx. The 7-story, 60,000-sq-ft building with 50 affordable coops uses 43 percent less energy than a comparable building and attained LEED Platinum and NYSERDA MPP certifications.
Bluestone, who is not afraid of trying new ideas, installed two, five kw micro co-generation units in the building that produce 100% of the project’s domestic hot water plus electricity for the common areas. Going forward, micro co-gen units will be installed in all his projects based on the system’s payback and efficiency.
Four blocks north Blue Sea partnered with Habitat for Humanity to build Prospect Macy, an affordable coop. The building includes a co-generation unit, a green roof, fitness room and landscaped play yard. Completion is slated for the end of 2010.
Construction will start in 2011 on an 8-story, 120-unit affordable rental project in Morrisania in the Bronx. This Blue Sea project features a 10,000-sq-ft rooftop greenhouse that will house an urban farm growing produce hydroponically for local distribution. The project will employ panelized wall systems and prefabricated bathroom modules to speed construction.
Green Innovations
Other innovative developers include the Richmond Group, which is using modular construction to build Park Terrace, a 4-story, 49-unit rental building for seniors in Yonkers, N.Y. The project, slated for completion in spring 2001, is seeking LEED Silver certification.
The modular housing units, constructed by Capsys Corporation at the Brooklyn Navy Yard, feature low emitting materials and finishes, Energy Star appliances and low-flow plumbing fixtures. The indoor assembly process reduces construction waste and creates very air-tight modules, Cirillo explains. The modules will be trucked to the site this fall and placed on completed foundations.
The Bluestone Organization, Fresh Meadows, N.Y., employed insulated concrete forms (ICF) to construct the wall system of The Andrew, a 50-unit affordable apartment building in Rego Park, Queens. ICF walls are formed by pouring concrete between two, 2.5-in polystyrene panels tied together with plastic or steel ties. The super insulated walls are very airtight with little thermal breaks, Merkin explains.
The developer is also using the wall system to construct the Calverts, six multi-family buildings in Harlem. The buildings, ranging in height from 4- to 8-stories, are seeking Energy Star and LEED certification. The projects are slated for completion between February and July 2011.
In March construction started on Via Verde, a $99 million complex in the South Bronx. The project developed by Phipps Houses and Jonathan Rose Companies, in partnership with Dattner Architects and Grimshaw Architects, is designed to achieve LEED Gold designation. Lettire is the project’s general contractor.
The 288,000-sq.-ft. development will create 222 units in three buildings; a 20-story tower at the north end, a 6-13-story mid-rise building in the middle and townhouses to the south, organized around a central courtyard. The buildings step down along the length of the site creating a series of green roofs. Solar panels will cover the vertical walls of the steps. The highly insulated buildings are clad in a rain screen, which provides for a more water tight envelope for the building, Stein says.
November 1, 2010
By Diane Greer, New York Construction
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Traffic causes delays, lost productivity for N.J. construction firms
Friday, June 11, 2010 01:50 PM By Evelyn Lee Evelyn Lee Evelyn Lee covers real estate, economic development and the environment for NJBIZ. She has been a staff reporter here since 2006.
Traffic congestion, and the resulting delays, are costing the nation’s construction firms some $23 billion a year — and New Jersey companies, in some ways, are more affected than their counterparts in other states, according to a new analysis released Thursday by the Associated General Contractors of America, in Washington, D.C.
New Jersey mirrored the nation in that 93 percent of the firms that were surveyed reported that traffic congestion and shipping unreliability had an impact on their operations — but 50 percent of local companies characterized that impact as “significant,” compared to only 22 percent nationally. Nearly 1,200 construction firms participated in the survey, including 25 from the Garden State.
Twenty-one percent of local general contractors, moreover, said that their cost of doing business increased by 11 percent or more because of delays, wasted fuel and other traffic impacts, while only 9 percent of firms nationally said the same, according to the survey results.
Traffic delays and congestion have lead to more than 30 hours per worker per year of lost productivity for 21 percent of New Jersey companies, about level with the national average, the survey said. Meanwhile, 64 percent of survey respondents said they had made changes to schedules or business operations because of traffic congestion and unreliable shipping schedules.
For example, Del-Sano Contracting Corp., a Union-based general contractor, has implemented practices to adjust to traffic congestion near some construction sites, particularly those in the state’s urban areas.
The firm’s employees generally get to work sites early in the morning and on time, said Angelo Del Russo, the company’s president. But “if the traffic has mounted up and stalled, it could hold things up for deliveries” of construction materials, and in turn add overtime to the project, he said.
“There’s a planning process that goes on,” Del Russo said. “What we try to do is just anticipate ahead of time what the traffic patterns are around our particular sites.” The company will post signage a day or two before the start of construction to alert residents about the project in the area.
Also, “there is a need to have professional help from the local police department to keep [traffic] moving,” he said. For example, on one recent project in Union City, police had traffic patterns set up to allow 25 trucks delivering concrete to get in and out of the site as quickly as possible.
“We’ve taken these measures, and it lessens the impact” of traffic, he said.
Go to actual link:
http://www.njbiz.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=82244:report-traffic-causes-delays-lost-productivity-for-nj-construction-firms&catid=34:daily-news&Itemid=109
Traffic congestion, and the resulting delays, are costing the nation’s construction firms some $23 billion a year — and New Jersey companies, in some ways, are more affected than their counterparts in other states, according to a new analysis released Thursday by the Associated General Contractors of America, in Washington, D.C.
New Jersey mirrored the nation in that 93 percent of the firms that were surveyed reported that traffic congestion and shipping unreliability had an impact on their operations — but 50 percent of local companies characterized that impact as “significant,” compared to only 22 percent nationally. Nearly 1,200 construction firms participated in the survey, including 25 from the Garden State.
Twenty-one percent of local general contractors, moreover, said that their cost of doing business increased by 11 percent or more because of delays, wasted fuel and other traffic impacts, while only 9 percent of firms nationally said the same, according to the survey results.
Traffic delays and congestion have lead to more than 30 hours per worker per year of lost productivity for 21 percent of New Jersey companies, about level with the national average, the survey said. Meanwhile, 64 percent of survey respondents said they had made changes to schedules or business operations because of traffic congestion and unreliable shipping schedules.
For example, Del-Sano Contracting Corp., a Union-based general contractor, has implemented practices to adjust to traffic congestion near some construction sites, particularly those in the state’s urban areas.
The firm’s employees generally get to work sites early in the morning and on time, said Angelo Del Russo, the company’s president. But “if the traffic has mounted up and stalled, it could hold things up for deliveries” of construction materials, and in turn add overtime to the project, he said.
“There’s a planning process that goes on,” Del Russo said. “What we try to do is just anticipate ahead of time what the traffic patterns are around our particular sites.” The company will post signage a day or two before the start of construction to alert residents about the project in the area.
Also, “there is a need to have professional help from the local police department to keep [traffic] moving,” he said. For example, on one recent project in Union City, police had traffic patterns set up to allow 25 trucks delivering concrete to get in and out of the site as quickly as possible.
“We’ve taken these measures, and it lessens the impact” of traffic, he said.
Go to actual link:
http://www.njbiz.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=82244:report-traffic-causes-delays-lost-productivity-for-nj-construction-firms&catid=34:daily-news&Itemid=109
Thursday, May 13, 2010
CEO Angelo Del Russo Speaks at Crane's Mill Ribbon Cutting
CEO of DelSano Contracting speaks at the ribbon cutting of the completed Crane's Mill Project, in New Jersey.
Angelo Del Russo followed his passion for construction early in his career. Energized by his desire to create a construction company devoted to quality and craftsmanship, Mr. Del Russo incorporated Del-Sano Contracting in 1975. Today, he proudly oversees a company that regularly ranks as one of the top performers in the New York/New Jersey metro area. Mr. Del Russo graduated from The New Jersey Institute of Technology with a degree in civil engineering technology. He has served as Secretary and Treasurer of E.L.A Associates, published numerous industry articles, and is a member of several trade and business associations including the United States Green Builders Council.
Crane's Mill
Phase II will complete the residential development of the campus with the addition of 70 Residential apartments with 47 underground parking spaces and 10 cottages. The project is planned to consist of a two story, (118,550 sq ft) structure with underground parking to be built and directly linked to the existing central facility building; completing the campus development. Ten cottages with attached garages (23,900 sq ft) are also included in Phase II.
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Del-Sano Contracting Corp. Honored with New York Construction's'Best of 2009' Award for Garden Street Lofts
September 21, 2009, Hoboken, NJ - New York Construction has awarded Del-Sano Contracting Corp. (http://www.delsano.com/) an Award of Merit in the Green Building category as part of its "Best of 2009 Awards" for Garden Street Lofts (http://www.gardenstreetlofts.com/). Garden Street Lofts is a luxury residential building in Hoboken, New Jersey. Del-Sano served as the general contractor for the $16.8-million redevelopment project, which was completed in February 2009.
New York Construction's "Best of Awards" is an annual awards program dedicated to honoring the region's best projects and the companies that design and build them. Award criteria included Teamwork and Project Management, Safety, Innovation, Contribution to the Community or Industry, Overcoming Unique or Difficult Challenges, Construction Quality and Craftsmanship, and Function and Aesthetic Quality of the Design.
Garden Street Lofts was redeveloped from an existing 42,888-square-foot, structural steel, concrete and masonry, former coconut processing and storage warehouse that was erected in 1919. Del-Sano built a new 35,054-square-foot, seven-story structural steel and concrete addition with gauged metal-perimeter wall framing and a Zinc rain screen façade. The addition rises above and is linked to the restored cast-in-place concrete building at the original fifth floor roof level. The mixed-use complex includes 30-luxuriously appointed one-, two-, and three-bedroom, loft-style condominiums. Also, at ground level there is a total 7,500 square feet of open floor plan that is suited for prime retail space facing 14th and Garden Streets.
The Garden Street Lofts is awaiting certification as the first Silver LEED luxury residential hi-rise development in New Jersey. The building uses 24% less energy in heating cooling and lighting, as well as 20% less water than a traditional building, and 100% of its electrical power is generated from wind and other renewable resources.
In addition to the many sustainable and energy efficient elements of the building, Del-Sano's handling of the construction process itself, as well as the worksite were noteworthy. "The challenges of bringing this project to life were many, not the least of which was how to preserve, recycle and transform architectural history by converting the Hostess coconut-processing warehouse into a state-of-the-art, high performance 'green' building while initiating creative cost containment measures," explained Angelo Del Russo, Founder and CEO of Del-Sano Contracting.
"Preserving an old structure while wrapping a new structure around and above it is no easy task. Another preservation challenge was to make certain the integrity of the walls and structure remained intact for restoration and rehabilitation," noted Del- Russo. "The restriction of the existing lot size and position also presented challenges, particularly for structural design and building methods. But ultimately, we were able to work around these challenges, afford the client some significant cost savings through our building methodologies, and deliver a beautiful building to the client that stands as a model for sustainable residential development in New Jersey."
Project team members were:
Architect: Sharples Holden Pasquarelli Architects, New York, NY
MEPS Engineer: Buro Happold, New York, NY
Project Financing: TD Bank, Ramsey, NJ
Marketing Agent: Hudson Place Realty, Hoboken, NJ
LEED Commissioning Agent, Dome-Tech Group, Edison, NJ
About Bijou PropertiesGarden Street Lofts was developed by Bijou Properties (http://www.bijouproperties.com/), which has already received recognition for successfully redeveloping urban properties and for the adaptive re-use of a former industrial and warehouse building along the Hudson River waterfront. The company is committed to incorporating sustainable design and construction into its projects.
About Del-Sano Contracting Corp. Del-Sano Contracting Corp. (http://www.delsano.com/), a member of the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), is a skilled and qualified builder of LEED-registered projects. The firm is committed to setting new standards for sustainable development through ongoing education and training, responsible use of natural resources, and the integration of principles of sustainable development in its day-to-day activities and client projects.
Established in 1975, Del-Sano provides full-service, commercial general construction and construction management services to a distinguished and diverse client base located throughout the New York metropolitan area. The firm, which ranks among the 25 largest general contractors in New Jersey, is engaged in the construction and development of commercial, institutional, retail, multifamily (including senior, affordable and luxury housing) high-rise, multi-level and framed structures, as well as recreational facilities and historic renovation projects.
September 21, 2009, Hoboken, NJ - New York Construction has awarded Del-Sano Contracting Corp. (http://www.delsano.com/) an Award of Merit in the Green Building category as part of its "Best of 2009 Awards" for Garden Street Lofts (http://www.gardenstreetlofts.com/). Garden Street Lofts is a luxury residential building in Hoboken, New Jersey. Del-Sano served as the general contractor for the $16.8-million redevelopment project, which was completed in February 2009.
New York Construction's "Best of Awards" is an annual awards program dedicated to honoring the region's best projects and the companies that design and build them. Award criteria included Teamwork and Project Management, Safety, Innovation, Contribution to the Community or Industry, Overcoming Unique or Difficult Challenges, Construction Quality and Craftsmanship, and Function and Aesthetic Quality of the Design.
Garden Street Lofts was redeveloped from an existing 42,888-square-foot, structural steel, concrete and masonry, former coconut processing and storage warehouse that was erected in 1919. Del-Sano built a new 35,054-square-foot, seven-story structural steel and concrete addition with gauged metal-perimeter wall framing and a Zinc rain screen façade. The addition rises above and is linked to the restored cast-in-place concrete building at the original fifth floor roof level. The mixed-use complex includes 30-luxuriously appointed one-, two-, and three-bedroom, loft-style condominiums. Also, at ground level there is a total 7,500 square feet of open floor plan that is suited for prime retail space facing 14th and Garden Streets.
The Garden Street Lofts is awaiting certification as the first Silver LEED luxury residential hi-rise development in New Jersey. The building uses 24% less energy in heating cooling and lighting, as well as 20% less water than a traditional building, and 100% of its electrical power is generated from wind and other renewable resources.
In addition to the many sustainable and energy efficient elements of the building, Del-Sano's handling of the construction process itself, as well as the worksite were noteworthy. "The challenges of bringing this project to life were many, not the least of which was how to preserve, recycle and transform architectural history by converting the Hostess coconut-processing warehouse into a state-of-the-art, high performance 'green' building while initiating creative cost containment measures," explained Angelo Del Russo, Founder and CEO of Del-Sano Contracting.
"Preserving an old structure while wrapping a new structure around and above it is no easy task. Another preservation challenge was to make certain the integrity of the walls and structure remained intact for restoration and rehabilitation," noted Del- Russo. "The restriction of the existing lot size and position also presented challenges, particularly for structural design and building methods. But ultimately, we were able to work around these challenges, afford the client some significant cost savings through our building methodologies, and deliver a beautiful building to the client that stands as a model for sustainable residential development in New Jersey."
Project team members were:
Architect: Sharples Holden Pasquarelli Architects, New York, NY
MEPS Engineer: Buro Happold, New York, NY
Project Financing: TD Bank, Ramsey, NJ
Marketing Agent: Hudson Place Realty, Hoboken, NJ
LEED Commissioning Agent, Dome-Tech Group, Edison, NJ
About Bijou PropertiesGarden Street Lofts was developed by Bijou Properties (http://www.bijouproperties.com/), which has already received recognition for successfully redeveloping urban properties and for the adaptive re-use of a former industrial and warehouse building along the Hudson River waterfront. The company is committed to incorporating sustainable design and construction into its projects.
About Del-Sano Contracting Corp. Del-Sano Contracting Corp. (http://www.delsano.com/), a member of the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), is a skilled and qualified builder of LEED-registered projects. The firm is committed to setting new standards for sustainable development through ongoing education and training, responsible use of natural resources, and the integration of principles of sustainable development in its day-to-day activities and client projects.
Established in 1975, Del-Sano provides full-service, commercial general construction and construction management services to a distinguished and diverse client base located throughout the New York metropolitan area. The firm, which ranks among the 25 largest general contractors in New Jersey, is engaged in the construction and development of commercial, institutional, retail, multifamily (including senior, affordable and luxury housing) high-rise, multi-level and framed structures, as well as recreational facilities and historic renovation projects.
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Del-Sano Completes Construction of $16.7M Kennedy Tower II in West New York, NJ, Meeting or Exceeding New Jersey Affordable Green Program Standards
07.27.2009 – West New York, NJ – Del-Sano Contracting Corp. (www.delsano.com) has completed new construction of Kennedy Tower II in West New York, New Jersey. Kennedy Tower II is an 11-story, senior independent living, affordable housing community consisting of 71 one- and two-bedroom apartments and 82 parking spaces, 76 of which are located in structured parking facilities. Del-Sano served as the general contractor for the $16,735,000 million project, which began in July 2008. The senior housing property was ready for occupancy on July 1, 2009. The project is owned by West New York Urban Renewal II. The federally subsidized project was funded by HMFA (Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency.Located on 62nd street, Kennedy Tower II is adjacent to the original Kennedy Tower, which was constructed in 1968, and is located on 62nd street.
The property offers proximity to bus routes and features safe shelters for commuters. Kennedy Tower II is built to New Jersey Affordable Green Program standards, utilizing daylight lighting where possible, Energy Star appliances, heating units, and water saver plumbing fixtures and high efficiency elevators. There is high recycle content in the flooring material, backfill material, and concrete used in the building. All plantings are drought resistant and indigenous to the area. During construction, 80% of the construction waste was recycled. According to Del-Sano Contracting Founder and CEO Angelo Del Russo, “Both West New York Urban Renewal II and Del-Sano shared a commitment to safe, clean, accessible, energy efficient and affordable housing throughout this project. Kennedy Tower II stands as a fine example of affordable housing that has both the needs of independent senior residents and the environment at its core, and we were thrilled to have been associated with this project.”About Del-SanoDel-Sano Contracting Corp, a member of the US Green Building Council (USGBC), is a skilled and qualified builder of LEED-registered projects.
The firm is committed to setting new standards for sustainable development through ongoing education and training, responsible use of natural resources, and the integration of principles of sustainable development in its day-to-day activities and client projects.Established in 1975, Del-Sano provides full-service, commercial general construction and construction management services to a distinguished and diverse client base located throughout the New York metropolitan area. The firm, which ranks among the 25 largest general contractors in New Jersey, is engaged in the construction and development of commercial, institutional, retail, multifamily (including senior, affordable and luxury housing) high-rise, multi-level and framed structures, as well as recreational facilities and historic renovation projects.
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Del-Sano Gives Back-Now MOVE!
It is important to the people at Del-Sano Contracting to give back to something that they are passionate about, besides giving back to the Matheny School for Disabled Children or the Market Street Mission house during the holidays, Del-Sano would like to give to the "We're on the MOVE to End Alzheimer's" ...Every 70 seconds one person is diagnosed with the disease..we must find a cure!! With your help we can make a difference!!! Please visit our page if you would like to make a donation!! It is greatly appreciated!! https://www.kintera.org/faf/donorReg/donorPledge.asp?ievent=302619&supid=261814197
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