FBHC is fully committed to addressing not only the social and economic needs of our neighborhood, but also its environmental needs. As part of our mission to create and preserve safe and affordable homes, we recognize our responsibility to minimize our portfolio’s impact on the environment. With every development plan, we aim to ensure the delivery of efficient and high-performance buildings. The benefits reach both us as a management company as well as our community residents, in regards to both health and budgets.

• New Green Construction
• Green Retrofitting and Renovations

New Green Construction

Over the course of the last few years, FBHC has implemented a series of advanced green tactics in constructing our new buildings. We consider the overall efficiency of a building in the planning and investment stages of development. We have incorporated many green tactics—from solar power systems to green roofs—in order to conserve energy and water, as well as cut costs for tenants. We are currently monitoring our green systems in an effort to better understand and confirm their environmental and economic benefits.

FBHC seeks to nurture the synergy between better building practices and preservation/conservation initiatives. We hope this development outlook will advance the building industry towards truly sustainable practices in the creation of high-performance and healthy buildings.

Highlight: Jacob’s Place

FBHC is the proud owner of one of the most sustainable multi-family developments built to date in New York City. Completed in October 2007, Jacob’s Place is a 63-unit affordable housing development on Webster Avenue. Jacob's Place is named in honor of Astin Jacobo, a native of the Dominican Republic and longtime neighborhood leader of the Crotona section of the Bronx.

Jacob’s Place features family-sized units for people with low and moderate incomes. Additionally, it includes six classrooms for early education programs on the ground level currently being used by the Bronx Community Charter School.

The development of Jacob’s Place galvanized FBHC’s commitment towards sustainable efforts. The following features help to augment the building’s system performance:

• Low-Emissive argon-filled windows
• A 96% efficient boiler system
• Low-energy elevators
• Compact fluorescent light fixtures
• Energy Star appliances
• Low-flow water fixtures
• A 5,000 sq. ft. green roof
• A rainwater harvesting system
• Solar Electric PV panels

Green Retrofitting and Renovations

FBHC’s commitment to green building involves renovating our existing buildings by replacing facets to make day to day operations more energy efficient and environmentally sensitive. We are currently retrofitting many buildings with sustainable tactics to meet our efficiency objectives.  These initiatives reduce energy and water costs for residents and preserve an environmentally sustainable housing stock for years to come.

A cross-section of green initiatives featured in our retrofits and renovations include many, if not all, of the following actions:

• Replacing windows with efficient, low-emissive, argon-filled windows for better insulation and building envelope performance
• Replacing old boiler systems with high-efficiency models
• Installing computerized heat controls in buildings, allowing us to closely monitor fuel use and the need for repairs
• Installing energy efficient lighting and motion sensors in public areas
• Replacing incandescent light bulbs with compact-florescent bulbs in private apartments
  
• Replacing existing appliances with more efficient and Energy-Star rated products
• Installing flow restrictors on showerheads and faucets to reduce water use and waste
• Using primers and paints that contain low levels of volatile organic compounds
• Installing environmentally-conscious materials such as bamboo flooring and recycled wall tiles

In addition, we are confronting the environmental challenges of urban heat island effect and storm water runoff with the construction of green roofs.  We have completed three green roofs and are researching new opportunities and funding sources to build more.

Fordham Bedford relies on state and local programs to defray costs of these refurbishments.  We have used the funding support of Enterprise Green Communities, NYSERDA and NYS Low-Income Weatherization, and others.

We are currently retrofitting ten of our apartment buildings. More information on these projects can be found in our portfolio.

For tips on how you can support our green mission click here.