BluefoxToday blog : Condominiums going green

Condo developers are gradually putting their arms around the green building concept and doing so in innovative ways. They know the residential real estate market for the eco product is still in its infancy, evolving, yet there are encouraging signs that it's gaining traction. More of it every passing day. Let's look at some recent environmentally-friendly projects across the country and what they've done.

A loft development in Massachusetts gets heating and cooling from underground geothermal plants. In essence they've drilled twenty wells deep into the earth and filled them with water that maintains 50 to 55 degrees throughout the year. Then heat pumps that operate like refrigerators transmit cold from the water in summer and heat in winter into the units. Utility bill savings go from 25 to 50% using this system, which can add up nicely over the years.

A Manhattan high-rise condominium has unique triple-pane windows. The inside space, the one closest to the living area, is vented during summer which lets cool air to flow through. And then in winter the same vent is shut and now the space creates an extra thermal barrier against the chill from outside. That's a creative solution. This development also features geothermal plants for heating and cooling.

Do you know what Trespa is? Well, it's a company making high-performance, high-quality panels for exterior cladding. Although their manufacturing technology is proprietary, it's known that wood pulp and resin materials are being used for their durable panels. A large San Francisco condo project is protected by Trespa, a practical product that has thus far earned multiple international certificates for its environmental considerations.

We're on the right track.