LEED for Homes certification offers tangible expression of better homes.

A barren 11-acre patch of asphalt was all that remained of a once-booming commercial plaza; abandoned for years, this West Seneca, N.Y., property was an eyesore in the community. But thanks to the efforts of a local politician and a nonprofit agency dedicated to improving the quality of life for people with disabilities, this space has been transformed into Ebenezer Square Apartments, a comfortable, safe, energy-efficient housing complex.

One of Sustainable Comfort’s most frequent clients, DePaul, a Rochester, N.Y.–based nonprofit, embraces the philosophy that the best neighbors derive from community-based decision-making. Before launching a housing project, the organization carefully considers where to locate the new building, how it will be oriented and constructed, and the best way to leverage the greater community to provide the best living situation for residents.

Albert LaValley has been tinkering with energy efficiency ever since he was a toddler in galoshes, creating overly-elaborate systems of levees, dams and canals in his family’s driveway to “manage” water runoff during a rainstorm. As president of Sustainable Comfort Inc., LaValley is just as eager to positively contribute to the city of Worcester.

Worcester-based Sustainable Comfort, Inc. (SCI), is conducting a deep energy retrofit of the triple decker building at 38 Stanton Street in the Bell Hill neighborhood of Worcester, MA. This is the first project of its kind for SCI in Worcester.

Built a century ago in 1917 as an economical way to provide workforce housing, the SCI team is using an integrated project delivery technique to repurpose the 4,395-square foot building for today’s target market and its next 100 year lifetime.

Worcester, MA Sustainable Comfort, Inc. (SCI), is conducting a deep energy retrofit of the triple decker building at 38 Stanton St. in the Bell Hill neighborhood of the city. This is the first project of its kind for SCI in the city.

Built a century ago in 1917 as an economical way to provide workforce housing, the SCI team is using an integrated project delivery technique to repurpose the 4,395 s/f building for today’s target market and its next 100 year lifetime.

Worcester, MA - Worcester-based Sustainable Comfort, Inc. (SCI) is currently conducting a deep energy retrofit of the triple-decker building at 38 Stanton Street in Bell Hill neighborhood of Worcester,

The SCI team is using an integrated project delivery technique to repurpose the 4,395sf building, built in 1917 as an economical way to provide workforce housing, for today’s target market and the next 100 years.  

Worcester, MA – Worcester-based Sustainable Comfort, Inc. (SCI) is currently conducting a deep energy retrofit of the triple-decker building at 38 Stanton Street in the Bell Hill neighborhood of Worcester.

The SCI team is using an integrated project delivery technique to repurpose the 4,395sf building, built in 1917 as an economical way to provide workforce housing, for today’s target market and the next 100 years.

Watkins Glen, a small village at the southern tip of Seneca Lake in upstate New York, is best known for its NASCAR motor speedway, pristine waterfalls and 40+ wineries. Recently, Watkins Glen attracted the attention of the development community, prompting major redevelopment of its lakefront, including infrastructure upgrades, new apartment and condominium projects and other improvements of several local public spaces. The plan is to use about $200 million of publicly funded projects to leverage private investment of $1 billion over a 10-year span.

DAPTIVE REUSE OF SCHOOL FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING BALANCES HISTORIC ELEMENTS WITH LEED REQUIREMENTS.

WATKINS GLEN, a small village at the southern tip of Seneca Lake in upstate New York, is best known for its NASCAR motor speedway, pristine waterfalls, and more than 40 wineries. Recently, Watkins Glen attracted the attention of the development community, prompting major redevelopment of its lakefront, including infrastructure upgrades, new apartment and condominium projects, and other improvements of several local public spaces. The plan is to use about $200 million of publicly funded projects to leverage private investment of $1 billion over a 10-year span.

Constructed in 1930, the Watkins Glen Middle School building features a brick façade and historic details such as its large hallways, solid wood doors, and the craftsmanship of its masonry. But as the town began to consolidate its school buildings, the structure was no longer needed as a school.

In an effort to repurpose the architecturally pleasing building while also tackling the problem of affordable housing, it was suggested to use the retired school building as a reinvestment and repurpose it as 51 affordable housing units for seniors.

Living in the suburbs and taking on a permaculture project can be an isolating task. What keeps us motivated is the knowledge that we are a part of a wider movement. People across the world are dedicated to permaculture principles and spreading knowledge and information.

We recognize that not everybody is going to take a few weeks to take a full Permaculture Design Course and start his or her own project. What we can do is share our little world, and share our harvest with our local community. We are only 2 years in, but how have we started doing this?

CFO of Deadhorse Hill restaurant Bert LaValley ’07, is in partnership with chef Jared Forman and beverage director Sean Woods. The downtown restaurant/café is named for a steep incline that that challenged horses—and then motorcars—in bygone centuries. His is also founder of Sustainable Comfort Inc., specializing in energy efficient multifamily homes. WPI Journal asked him to share his thoughts on revitalizing Worcester’s culinary scene.

Constructed in 1930, the Watkins Glen Middle School building features a brick façade and historic details such as its large hallways, solid wood doors, and the craftsmanship of its masonry. But as the town began to consolidate its school buildings, the structure was no longer needed as a school.

In an effort to repurpose the architecturally pleasing building while also tackling the problem of affordable housing, it was suggested to use the retired school building as a reinvestment and repurpose it as 51 affordable housing units for seniors.

Today, students had the opportunity to hear a presentation from a local entrepreneur, Bert LaValley. LaValley started two successful businesses: Sustainable Comfort, a green building and property management company, and Deadhorse Hill, a restaurant in Worcester. 

LaValley's presentation to students was an important part of their business plan project. He talked about what prompted him to start his own businesses, the many rewards and challenges of being in charge of a small business, and what he looks for in employees. Most importantly, he talked about the skills, qualities, and habits that he sees as crucial for success.

Rochester's Cornerstone Group, Ltd. (RCG) and PathStone Corporation, developers in Rochester, N.Y., always dreamed of doing a project together—one that would be special, break the typical mold, and become a forward-thinking model.

After reviewing the communities’ housing needs, the two corporations created a plan for a building that combined the New York State Homes and Community Renewal (NYSHCR) 9 percent tax credit program and the Department of Health’s (DOH) licensed Enriched Housing Program for frail seniors – the first of its kind in New York state. The project was designed to comply with the Governor’s Medicaid Redesign Team (MRT), a program that aims to achieve measurable improvement in health outcomes, sustainable cost control, and a more efficient administrative structure.

For the past decade in a small town in eastern New York, a building once dubbed "the oldest ladder manufacturing facility in America" stood empty.

With its high-beamed ceilings, thick wooden columns, proximity to a major interstate and easy access to bike and walking trails, developers thought the Tilley Ladder Warehouse had all the character and ingredients for a potential, green residential community.

But the structure, built in the 1890s, was certainly in need of an update. 

Several entities hopped on board to transform the 80,000-square-foot historic building in Watervliet, New York, into 62 loft-style apartments, including Harris A. Sanders, Architects, P.C.; Kirchhoff-Consigli Construction; Redburn Development Companies, LLC; and Sustainable Comfort, Inc.

Rochester’s Cornerstone Group, Ltd. (RCG) and PathStone Corporation, developers in Rochester, N.Y., always dreamed of doing a project together \u2014 one that would be special, break the typical mold, and become a forward-thinking model.

After reviewing the communities’ housing needs, the two corporations created a plan for a building that combined the New York State Homes and Community Renewal (NYSHCR) 9 percent tax credit program and the Department of Health’s (DOH) licensed Enriched Housing Program for frail seniors - the first of its kind in New York State. The project was designed to comply with the Governor’s Medicaid Redesign Team, a program that aims to achieve measurable improvement in health outcomes, sustainable cost control, and a more efficient administrative structure.

Incremental change is hard to see. Almost 2 years in and we are just starting to see the vision take shape of what we want to accomplish. There is still a ways to go, but to see how far we’ve come gives us the motivation to keep going. What is nice about small scale farming is the equal part vision and equal part execution (since it is small scale there is some relaxation too).

Long Pond Senior Housing, a building that combined the New York State Homes and Community Renewal (NYSHCR) 9% tax credit program and the Department of Health’s (DOH) licensed Enriched Housing Program for frail seniors was the first of its kind in New York State. 

The project, which achieved LEED Gold certification, was designed to comply with the Governor’s Medicaid Redesign Team (MRT), a program intended to achieve measurable improvement in health outcomes, sustainable cost control, and a more efficient administrative structure. The project reduced wood waste by using panelized off-site construction. 

WORCESTER — A project designed by the Worcester-based firm Sustainable Comfort Inc. has received a LEED Homes Award from the U.S. Green Building Council.

The Tilley Lofts in Watervliet, N.Y., received the LEED Homes Awards in the 2015 Outstanding Multifamily Project category. The awards recognize architects, developers, home builders and projects that demonstrate outstanding leadership and innovation in the residential green building marketplace.

ALBANY, NY – In recognition of its work on The Tilley Lofts in Watervliet, N.Y., Consigli Construction has been awarded a 2015 LEED Homes Award for Outstanding Multifamily Project by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). The annual LEED Homes Awards recognize architects, developers, homebuilders and projects that have demonstrated outstanding leadership and innovation in the residential green building marketplace.

“Helping to protect the environment is a top priority for our company, so this award is a tremendous honor,” said Greg Burns, President of New York Operations for Consigli. “The Tilley Lofts project was ambitious in its goals to meet LEED standards and we’re thrilled that we not only met them, but are recognized for our work and efforts to do so.”