The Fortune Society Awarded in State’s Third Round of Buildings of Excellence Competition

The Fortune Society’s Castle III affordable housing residence in East Harlem was selected as a winner in the third round of the New York State Buildings of Excellence Competition for the construction of a low-carbon emitting multifamily building. The award includes a $1 million prize to make the residence more energy efficient.

This competition, administered by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), supports Governor Kathy Hochul’s nation-leading climate goals outlined in the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (Climate Act), which places New York State on a path to economy-wide carbon neutrality and mandates an 85 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.

Castle III was selected for its low carbon performance, ability to be adopted broadly, and for creating a healthy and safe living environment.

“We want to ensure our residents live in the safest and most efficient residence possible. The Fortune Society is always looking for ways to improve the quality of life for our residents, and this project is just another step forward in that effort,” said JoAnne Page, President and CEO of The Fortune Society.

Castle III features will include a variable refrigerant flow (VRF) system, high-performance building enclosure, heat-pump water heater, and an 81 kilowatt rooftop solar array. This all-electric building with on-site renewable energy will rely less on the grid and foster long-term operational stability.

Bright Power and Curtis + Ginsberg Architects will partner with The Fortune Society to provide energy-efficient consulting throughout design and construction to reduce the carbon impact.

NYSERDA President and CEO Doreen M. Harris said, “The Castle III project will demonstrate that new construction can be designed and built with energy efficiency and electrification as standard practice while being affordable to residents. NYSERDA is pleased to support The Fortune Society with a Buildings of Excellence Round Three award and looks forward to the data that the team shares to help inform low- to zero-carbon building projects in the future.”  

This residence will also provide comprehensive data on design, construction, and cost that can be analyzed and shared to increase the number of low- to zero-carbon buildings in New York State. For a complete list of the winning projects statewide, please visit NYSERDA’s Buildings of Excellence website at https://www.nyserda.ny.gov/all-programs/programs/multifamily-buildings-of-excellence.