We are thrilled to spotlight Fifth Avenue Committee’s 153 Nevins Street development in Brooklyn, which has earned a prestigious spot among the winners of the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority’s (NYSERDA) Buildings of Excellence (BOE) competition!
NYSERDA’s Buildings of Excellence program is a premier initiative that rewards developers, architects, and engineers designing clean, resilient, and carbon-neutral multi-family buildings. By highlighting “best-in-class” structures, the competition proves that high-performance, energy-efficient housing is not only achievable for luxury developments, but essential and scalable for sustainable affordable housing.
FAC’s 153 Nevins Street project exemplifies this vision. Backed by a $1.2 million award, this 10-story, 70-unit affordable housing development is setting a powerful benchmark for what equitable, forward-thinking urban development looks like.
Inside 153 Nevins Street: Cutting-Edge Green Innovation
Slated for completion in 2029, 153 Nevins Street is designed to meet rigorous standards—including Passive House Institute Classic certification, WELL building standards, LEED, and Energy Star.
The project will include:
- High-Performance Envelope & Triple-Pane Windows: Drastically reducing thermal bridging and keeping indoor temperatures comfortable year-round while minimizing energy waste.
- Advanced Heat Pump Technology: Utilizing packaged terminal heat pumps for space conditioning alongside an innovative black-water source heat pump for domestic hot water.
- Centralized Energy Recovery Ventilation (ERV): Equipped with MERV 13 filtration to ensure superior indoor air quality and constant circulation of fresh air.
- On-Site Solar PV System: Harnessing renewable energy right from the roof to power community elements and offset grid reliance.
- Active and Passive Survivability: Incorporating green roofs, permeable surfaces, and thoughtful stormwater management to mitigate urban heat islands and heavy rain impacts.
- Healthy Living Amenities: Complete with heat pump clothes dryers, interior bike storage, and close proximity to public transit to cut down on transportation emissions.
More Than Just Green Walls: Community-Centered Impact
What makes 153 Nevins Street truly exceptional isn’t just its technological hardware—it’s the people it serves. Developed in response to local priorities identified in the NYC HPD Nevins and Third Community Visioning Report, the building addresses deep community needs:
- Deep Affordability: The 70 units will serve a diverse mix of incomes, including dedicated support for formerly homeless households and deeply affordable units for local families.
- Economic Justice in Action: The building features dedicated community facility space to expand access to educational and workforce development opportunities, anchored by FAC’s nonprofit affiliate, Brooklyn Workforce Innovations.
Projects like 153 Nevins Street prove that we don’t have to choose between housing the community and protecting the planet. By integrating ultra-low energy architecture with community-driven economic opportunities, FAC and NYSERDA are charting a path toward a resilient, just, and carbon-neutral New York.
EN 
ES 
AR 
ZH