Goal.  Convert an expansive old, cold, brick building in Yonkers, New York, into a bright, thermally comfortable live/work space with little to no operational carbon footprint. 

Solution.  The super-insulated air tight building enclosure was achieved with exceptional air sealing and adding 4 inches of polyisocyanurate to an uninsulated brick wall, which provides continuous insulation and yields R-26. An R-50 roof assembly combines mineral wool in the cavity and 6” continuous rigid insulation on top of the roof deck. High performance U-0.15 triple pane windows and skylights offer a SHGC-glass of 0.50 to capture the sun's energy. Sawtooth clerestory windows were added to provide interior daylighting.

Systems.  Air source heat pumps provide space conditioning, including heating, cooling, and dehumidification. Energy recovery ventilators complete the package with highly efficient ventilation and energy recovery.

Renewables.  On the roof a grid tied 45kW photovoltaic system turns the electric meter backwards to offset energy consumption.