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Home » Green Building

GREEN BUILDING

Get a healthier, high-performance building that will save you money and serve your needs – without harming the environment.

The green building experts at Alfandre Architecture will show you how.

LEED Platinum Net Zero Energy Office Building

Our office produces more energy than we use, making it a Net Zero building. See Full Case Study

Energy Star Home, Putnam County, NY

New Energy Star Home integrated into the landscape.
See Full Case Study

What is green building?

Green building is an important component of the larger methodology of sustainable design.

Sustainable design is all about a holistic approach to planning for future generations on our Earth. Buildings that are poorly designed, cheaply built and badly insulated will require massive amounts of non-renewable fossil fuels to keep them habitable.

So building “green” consists of minimizing the negative environmental impact of a building.

We use several techniques and technologies to minimize environmental impact through design, such as:

  • Situating the building to make maximum use of the sun’s energy and heat

  • Creating an envelope that makes a building more energy-efficient, helping to maintain consistent temperatures and control moisture

  • Using materials that are durable, sustainable, and non-toxic

  • Actively harnessing renewable energy such as solar power, while also using passive solar design to retain natural heating and cooling

  • Using landscaping that requires less water and maintenance

And there are many other techniques as well.

Energy Star Home, Putnam County, NY

High performance, thermally efficient windows were used to provide abundant daylight, while minimizing heat loss and heat gain. 
See Full Case Study

UNDERSTANDING THE IMMEDIATE AND LONG TERM BENEFITS OF GREEN BUILDING

LEED Gold Residence

Solar electric and solar thermal systems, along with a maximally insulated building enclosure, deep overhangs, and thoughtful integration in the land helped this residence achieve a LEED Gold rating.

Besides the initial benefit of helping to minimize the depletion of our natural resources, green building design also carries a number of direct benefits to the building owner and/or occupants, including:

Lower operating costs
With passive solar design, the sun will do much of the heating of the building, and the building will maintain consistent temperatures -- which means you won’t spend vast amounts of money and use up excessive fossil fuels to maintain comfort. As a result, less electricity and water will be used and these utility savings will increase exponentially over the years.

Improved air quality
Better insulation and ventilation can eliminate mold, mildew, and toxins such as VOC’s (volatile organic compounds) released into the air through the off-gassing of some building materials. This means healthier air for the building’s occupants.

Less time and money spent maintaining landscaping
Using low-maintenance landscaping will not only save you the time and hassle of continuous upkeep, it will also reduce your water usage and pest or weed control needs, which means fewer toxic chemicals leaching into our shared water supply. Eco-friendly landscaping also encourages biodiversity by supporting the local habitat.

Tom Passero

“The building generates about 75% of the energy we consume, from solar panels on the roof.

 

Before, I'd have headaches that now I don't have. We used non-VOC flooring. We were conscious of the paints, flooring, lighting, the movement of air, the presence of outside light, to make it a comfortable place to work.

 

The Alfandre team designed a landscape that was sustainable with plants that grow locally. That’s helped me to keep my maintenance costs down. We don't have to have somebody here every week cutting the grass and killing dandelions.”

 

Tom Passero

Prosthetic & Orthotic Associates, Middletown, NY
SEE FULL CASE STUDY

Integrated Green Solutions

A building's function and form can be integrated with sustainable design principles.

A GREEN BUILDING DESIGN ISN'T TRULY “GREEN” UNTIL IT'S BUILT PROPERLY

Joe Buglino - Construction manager at EcoBuilders, Inc

Joe (left) on site at Emerson Resort & Spa discussing plans with a subcontractor.
See Full Case Study

It’s important to remember that design is only as good as the construction that brings it to life.

Architects can design and model something that is sustainable on paper, but if it’s not implemented correctly, it won’t make any difference to the environment, or bring you any of the benefits of sustainable design.

That’s why in 2008, we created EcoBuilders, the construction arm of Alfandre Architecture. Having the capability to deliver a complete design to build experience for our customers ensures our designs are executed properly. This means the right high quality materials are used and contractor shortcuts are eliminated.

We’re committed not only to the principles of green building, but to its practical application in the real world.

INCLUDE GREEN BUILDING IN YOUR PROJECT
IN A WAY THAT WORKS BEST FOR YOU

It doesn’t have to be an all-or-nothing approach.

Whether you are going for a full LEED certification or just looking to gain long-term cost savings with a few smart investments to make your structure more energy-efficient, we are happy to advise you on your options.

Gail Buckland - Client

"We wanted to have minimum impact and maximum use of renewable energy.

 

I went to Alfandre because he had been highly recommended by many people who are involved in the environmental movement in Energy Star homes and LEED-certified houses. Alfandre really knows green building, and that's what I wanted."

 

Gail Buckland

Homeowner - New Paltz, NY
SEE FULL CASE STUDY

FEATURED PROJECTS

CASE STUDY

EMERSON RESORT & SPA - MT. TREMPOR, NY

CASE STUDY

ENERGY STAR HOME - PUTNAM COUNTY, NY 

CASE STUDY

P.O.A. OFFICE SPACE - MIDDLETOWN, NY

GAIN ALL THE BENEFITS OF GREEN BUILDING FROM THE EXPERTS
AT ALFANDRE ARCHITECTURE

Let’s discuss your goals of your project.
Then, we’ll give you our best advice on how to move forward.

SCHEDULE A CALL
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231 Main Street Suite 201     New Paltz, NY 12561     Phone: 845.255.4774

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