Urban trees aren't just great ... they're tree-mendous! Who doesn't love living on a leafy lane? And while maintaining a sidewalk tree takes a little effort in its sapling days, the New York City Parks Department makes the actual getting of a tree or two pretty easy for your board or a resident-volunteer (with board permission) to do. Read More »

Post-Issue Update: June 27, 2008 — The New York State Assembly on Monday passed a bill designed to provide tax abatements to encourage the construction and maintenance of green roofs in New York City and other million-plus municipalities. Bill A11226, already passed by the State Senate, now awaits the governor's signature.

The abatement would total $4.52 per square foot of approved green roof, up to either $100,000 or a building's tax bill for the applicable year, whichever is less. According to the bill's Assembly Memo, this abatement would offset about 35% of the cost of installing a green roof — "a growth medium and a vegetation layer of drought-resistant, hardy plant species" that provides an insulating layer to helps reduce energy consumption, among other benefits. Read More »

It can be as simple as switching from incandescent to fluorescent lightbulbs. It can be a bit more complex, like replacing worn-out air conditioners and washing machines with energy-efficient appliances. Or, it can be as exotic as installing a microturbine, or turning a rooftop into an insulating garden. Whichever way, many co-op and condo boards are taking action to make their buildings, their city and their planet shade toward the desirable new color: green. Read More »

Post-Issue Update: June 23, 2008 — The Associated Press reported late yesterday afternoon that New York State Governor David A. Patterson, Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno and Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver hammered out a "green housing" agreement during closed-doors negotiations over the weekend . A new grant program aimed at providing incentives for energy-efficient homes will provide state homeowners up to $7,500 for single and two-family houses, $11,250 for buildings with three to six units and $15,000 for buildings with more than six units. Read More »

Brand-new green buildings with fancy, environmentally friendly features make headlines all the time. But the vast majority of the city's housing stock is not new. How can they catch up, to make their buildings more appealing and help the the environment at the same time? That's where the program "LEED for Existing Buildings: Operations and Maintenance" can come in. Read More »

Gerard J. Picaso has been managing New York City co-ops and condos for over 30 years, and prides himself on his business acumen. So when it comes to greening the 48 buildings in his portfolio, Picaso says his motivation is as much common sense as it is dollars and cents. Read More »

Like the best and worst things in life, my tenure on the board was an accident. I was quietly keeping to myself at an annual meeting for our building, a 35-unit co-op at 375 Lincoln Place in Prospect Heights, Brooklyn, when all eyes turned to me.

"You'll serve, won't you?" asked the vice president, who was stepping down. Who, me? Read More »

It may not be easy to implement, but geothermal energy can save on heating and cooling costs. Ask Joseph Sbiroli, for instance, how geothermal is working at The Modern — a luxury eight-unit rental in Manhattan's Meatpacking District that opened Labor Day 2007 — and he'll say, "It's working beautifully — after a lot of aggravation and blood, sweat and tears." Read More »

It may sound like some accessory from your childhood Micronauts, but there's nothing kid-stuff about a microturbine — a gas-powered, on-site device that actually creates electricity for your building and even produces heat you can use for some of your building's hot-water needs. Read More »

So it's time to replace that shabby hallway carpeting, or maybe you need new flooring for the front entryway. Why not go green? There are ways to make the material under your feet give you a toehold on saving the world. Read More »