Sustainable Heating Project in Brooklyn to Receive National Award
One of NYCHA’s energy-efficient heating and hot water projects in Brooklyn has been selected for a nationwide recognition by a professional association for leaders in design and construction.
The Design-Build Institute of America (DBIA) recently announced that NYCHA and project partners will receive a National Award of Merit for the boiler plant replacement and domestic hot water decoupling project at Brownsville Houses. The award will be presented later this fall in the category for a rehabilitation, renovation, or restoration effort.
As part of the $34 million City-funded project, the development’s gas-fired steam boilers in the central plant were replaced with new high-efficiency, gas-condensing boilers providing heating service for 27 buildings. In addition, the domestic hot water heaters were de-coupled from the heating system to install new gas-fired hot water heaters at the development. Brownsville Houses was one of 11 developments — bundled into five separate projects — that comprised the Authority’s first Design-Build Heating Replacement Program.
By implementing innovative heating and hot-water technologies and design strategies, the project supports NYCHA’s efforts to reduce its carbon emissions footprint while providing reliable, consistent heating and hot water service at the Brooklyn development.
“This award marks a significant milestone in the development of NYCHA’s heating program as one of the first projects implemented under design-build,” Chief Asset and Capital Management Officer Dylan Baker-Rice said. “Installing boilers within an existing residential project in a difficult capital improvement project – and accomplishing this seven months ahead of schedule and within budget – underlines the professionalism and collaboration of the team as well as the benefits of design-build. Residents will also benefit from the savings as design-build is increasingly utilized across NYCHA’s portfolio.”
According to the DBIA, “the project team went well above and beyond in achieving cost, schedule, and quality goals, demonstrating unique applications of design-build best practices to raise the bar.”
The National Award of Merit will be presented during an awards program at the Design-Build Conference and Expo on November 5 in Cleveland. As a merit award winner, NYCHA and the project team are automatically nominated for DBIA’s National Award of Excellence, to be announced at the conference.
Photo caption: New high-efficiency, gas-condensing boilers were installed in the central plant at Brownsville Houses. (courtesy of Richards Plumbing and Heating Co.)
