The Peninsula in the Bronx, N.Y., a mixed-use affordable housing campus, just opened its first phase. The development has a comprehensive plan to reduce waste, separate recyclable materials, and make it easy for residents to collect compostable materials.
The development, which will provide 740 residential units when completed, includes a recently completed commercial structure housing a food incubator and related businesses. This structure contains refrigerated storage and shelf capacity for surplus edible food to preserve it for donations to local partner organizations.
Food waste will be collected and put to good use. “Food waste will be separated by the food businesses, and processed into fertilizer within a dry aerobic bio-digester,” says Miflin, who with partner WXY has created a related new initiative called PutWasteToWork. The bio-digester has a capacity of 0.55 tons of food waste a day, and processes it with microbes and heat to create a fertilizer. The bio-digester reduces weight by up to 90% and eliminates pests and odors.
Infrastructure will be built into residential areas to encourage collection of food waste for composting. Every unit will have undercounter bins for recycling and a caddy for food waste," “They will take these to the refuse rooms on each floor, which also host collections of small items like sharps and batteries,” says Claire Weisz, FAIA, founding principal of WXY.
According to the project team, consultants will help train staff, and provide software for tracking all waste types and measuring progress towards zero-waste operations. This is a radically new idea for an affordable community, according to a news release.
Owner and/or developer: Hudson Companies, Gilbane Development Co., and MHANY Management Inc. (part of the Mutual Housing Association of New York).
Design architect: WXY architecture + urban design and Body Lawson Associates Architects and Planners
Architect of record: WXY architecture + urban design and Body Lawson Associates Architects and Planners
MEP engineer: Skyline Engineering
Structural engineer: Gedeon GRC Consulting and Christie Engineering
General contractor/construction manager: Broadway Builders and Gilbane
Related Stories
High-rise Construction | Jul 7, 2015
Bjarke Ingels designs Frankfurt skyscraper with a surprise in the middle
Several levels in the center of the 185-meter tower are shifted outward to allow for terraces with city views.
Multifamily Housing | Jul 1, 2015
Baby boomers—not Millennials—will drive demand for apartments long term, according to U.S. Fed study
The volatile U.S. multifamily housing market has returned to pre-recession investment levels, driven largely by Millennials putting off home-buying and settling for rentals, but in the long term it will be baby boomers that will drive the market as they downsize.
High-rise Construction | Jun 23, 2015
The world's best new skyscrapers for 2015
One World Trade Center and Abu Dhabi's Burj Mohammed Bin Rashid Tower are among the four towers named Best Tall Buildings by the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat.
Multifamily Housing | Jun 22, 2015
MAD Architects unveils first U.S. residential project, in Beverly Hills
The “hillside village” edifice will be covered in drought-tolerant vines and succulents.
High-rise Construction | Jun 15, 2015
Cornell Tech breaks ground on world's first Passive House residential high-rise
To achieve Passive House standards, Cornell Tech Residential will incorporate a number of sustainability-focused design elements. The façade, constructed of a prefabricated metal panel system, acts as a thermally insulated blanket wrapping the building structure.
Wood | Jun 2, 2015
Michael Green Architecture designs world's tallest wood building for Paris competition
“Just as Gustave Eiffel shattered our conception of what was possible a century and a half ago, this project can push the envelope of wood innovation with France in the forefront," said architect Michael Green of the project.
Multifamily Housing | Jun 1, 2015
Sacramento moves forward on multifamily project with new modular supplier
Guerdon Modular Buildings will provide modules for 118 apartments.
Multifamily Housing | May 30, 2015
Fannie Mae offers incentives for energy, water efficiency in multifamily buildings
Owners of apartment buildings and cooperatives may be eligible for loans with reduced interest rates for upgrades that reduce their energy or water consumption by at least 20%, under a new Fannie Mae refinancing program.
Multifamily Housing | May 30, 2015
Energy Department releases resources to assess building energy benchmarking policies, programs
The new handbook demonstrates methodologies using real data from New York City.
Multifamily Housing | May 28, 2015
Census Bureau: 10 U.S. cities now have one million people or more
California and Texas each have three of the one-million-plus cities.
