Morrisania Air Rights: Towards a sustainable future for affordable housing Janice Chu | Ying Luo
Yale School of Architecture ARCH 2249 01 (FA23): Bad Buildings: Decarbonization Through Reuse, Retrofit and Proposition Critic: Tess McNamara
Table of Content Building Selection Why NYCHA Why Morrisania Air Rights Initial Analysis Energy Use Environmental Analysis Proposal & Carbon Reduction Overview of Design Changes Energy Efficiency Measures (EEMs) Greenery and Landscape
Building selection Why NYCHA and why this building
Energy Efficiency Grade across All NYCHA Properties
Tasked with finding a "bad building" and perform analysis to propose design solutions to improve the buildings in sustainable ways, we focused on NYCHA properties as the majority of the NYCHA buildings earn failing grade on Energy Efficiency Scale. As NYCHA works towards greenhouse gas reduction by 80 percent by 2050, stated in NYCHA's Sustainability Agenda, it is urgent to investigate some of the bad performing buildings. Smith, Greg B. “89 NYCHA Buildings Earned an a for Energy Efficiency — and Even Authority Managers Didn’t Believe It.” THE CITY - NYC News, 12 Apr. 2023, www.thecity.nyc/2023/04/12/nychaenergy-efficiency-grades-local-law-97/#:~:text=NYCHA. Accessed 13 Dec. 2023.
Morrisania Air Rights Basic Information
Environmental Challenges of the Neighborhood
lowest risk
highest risk
Compared to the entire New York City, the neighborhood of Morrisania has high heat vulnerability.
“Interactive Heat Vulnerability Index.” Environment & Health Data Portal, a816-dohbesp.nyc.gov/IndicatorPublic/key-topics/climatehealth/hvi/. Accessed 13 Dec. 2023.
As seen in the graphs above, the neighborhood has a high percentage of households without air conditioning, while the average temperature of the neighborhood is higher than the city average as a whole. On top of the heat vulnerability, air quality, in the Borough of the Bronx especially, is extremely poor. With greater than twice (17%) the New York City average rate of asthma in school-age children, air quality is a major component of community health. These two environmental and public health challenges the neighborhood faces are our primary consideration for some of the Energy Efficienty Measures (EEMs): reduce fuel burning way of heating would reduce air pollution, trees and softscape would reduce urban heat island effect, green facades would improve air quality and living quality for residents.
“Heat and Cooling Equity.” Data Team, council.nyc.gov/data/heat/. NYU Wagner. South Bronx Environmental Health and Policy Study. Final Report for Phase VI. April 2009.
Planning Vision
Early proposal for linear development in Morrisania using Penn Central Air Rights (Plan for New York City, 1969) The current environmental challenges of urban heat island and bad air quality are partially due to its linear vision of planning a concrete, vertical neighborhood close to the highways in the 1969. High traffic volumne, burning fossil fuel and lack of trees and softscape are known to reduce the air quality and living quality of the neighborhood.
Newspaper Article from 1971 (Above), Section Drawing from Curtis & Ginsbert Architects LLP, 1999 (Below). The building used a steel truss technology that would allow the building construction to go up even with an active train running underground. It would the first time such technology is used for residential project. It cost the government $35 million to build. We want to call for contined investment to improve the structure, as it is both costly to build and an enormous amount of embodied carbon considering its structural strength.
NYCHA Incentives
1 Reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 80 percent by 2050 2 Cultivate healthy and resilient communities based on design excellence 3 Empower residents through community activation and workforce development 4 Ensure efficient building operations and resource management 5 Leverage all funding and financing toward healthier and decarbonized buildings “NYCHA - Sustainability Agenda.” Www.nyc.gov, www.nyc.gov/site/nycha/about/sustainability.page.
Initial Analysis Energy Use Environmental Analysis
Energy Use
electricity 4,700,371.2 kBtu
Lighting, AC
8.43%
heating gas 41,426,258 kBtu
Heating
74%
heating oil 8,886,333.12 kBtu
Domestic Hot Water
16%
cooking gas 718,520.44kBtu
Cooking
1%
EUI: 104.6kBtu/ft2 “NYC Open Data.” NYC Open Data, data.cityofnewyork.us/browse?Dataset-Information_Agency=New+York+City+Housing+Authority+%28NYCHA%29&provenance=official. Accessed 13 Dec. 2023.
Benchmark EUI: 82.4kBtu/ft2 "New York City's Energy and Water Use Report. 10 Years of Data" Urban Green Council. December 2020.
Sunlight Analysis
Summer, SW view: south and west facades get a lot of sunlight. Solar panels on west facade and the basketball court to the west, to harvest energy and provide shading.
Summer, NE view: north and east facade get less sun as south and west, but rooftop solar panels are recommended to harvest energy
Winter, SW view: south facade has a lot of sunlight all year round. Balcony and green facade recommended.
Winter, NE view: north facade gets little light. Propose to enlarge the windows for more daylight.
Proposal & Carbon Reduction Overview of design changes Energy efficiency measures (EEMs) Greenery and landscape
Ground Floor Plan: 1980 Vision
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25
Boiler Flue Core No.3
Overhead Door
Club Room Boiler Room
Tenant Storage Lobby
Toilet
Club Room
Storage
Mail Room
Closet
Arts and Crafts
Laundry
Vehicle Room
Electric Meter Room
Vestibule
Stair
Stair
Compactor Room
Mechanical Room
Pram Room
Club Room
Club Room Men's Toilets
Gas Meter Room
Women Toilets
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27
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34
Core No.4
Security Closet Office
Storage Fire Hose
Housing Assistance
Housing Assistance
Housing Assistance
Super Intendent
Manager's Office
Storage Compactor Room Lounge
Lobby
Meeting Room
Tenant Storage
Men's Toilets
Mechanical Room
Women's Toilets
Vestibule
Food Storage
Vestibule
29
30 Stair
28 Storage
Kitchen
Stair
27 Pass Door
Office
Pipe Access
26
n's
Electric Meter Room
Toilet
31 Lunch Room
Police Room
32
Toilet
Core No.4
33
Waiting Room
Vestibule
Vestibule
34
Clerical Room
Cashier
Security Closet Office
Storage
Housing Assistance
Housing Assistance
Super Intendent
Manager's Office
Storage Compactor Room Lounge
orage
Lobby
Meeting Room
Tenant Storage
Men's Toilets
Mechanical Room
Women's Toilets
Vestibule
Pass Door
Office
Toilet
Food Storage
Vestibule Vestibule
Stair
Storage
Kitchen
Stair
Women's Toilets
Pipe Access
en's oilets
Housing Assistance
Fire Hose
Club Room
Electric Meter Room
Lunch Room
Police Room
Toilet
Vestibule
Waiting Room
Clerical Room
Cashier
0
25
0
50
25
100FT
50
N
100FT
N
Ground Floor Plan: Proposed
Parking with porous surface
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25
Boiler Flue Core No.3
Overhead Door
Club Room Boiler Room
Tenant Storage Lobby
Toilet
Club Room
Storage
Mail Room
Closet
Arts and Crafts
Laundry
Vehicle Room
Electric Meter Room
Vestibule
Stair
Stair
Compactor Room
Mechanical Room
Pram Room
Club Room
Club Room Men's Toilets
Gas Meter Room
Solar PV above basketball court
Women Toilets
Glass facade for public programs
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Core No.4
Security Closet Office
Storage Fire Hose
Housing Assistance
Housing Assistance
Housing Assistance
Super Intendent
Manager's Office
Storage Compactor Room Lounge
Lobby
Meeting Room
Tenant Storage
Men's Toilets
Mechanical Room
Women's Toilets
Vestibule
Food Storage
Vestibule
29
30 Stair
28 Storage
Kitchen
Stair
27 Pass Door
Office
Pipe Access
26
n's
Electric Meter Room
Toilet
31 Lunch Room
Police Room
32
Toilet
Core No.4
33
Waiting Room
Vestibule
Vestibule
34
Clerical Room
Cashier
Security Closet Office
Storage
Housing Assistance
Housing Assistance
Super Intendent
Manager's Office
Storage Compactor Room Lounge
orage
Lobby
Meeting Room
Tenant Storage
Men's Toilets
Mechanical Room
Women's Toilets
Vestibule
Pass Door
Office
Toilet
Food Storage
Vestibule Vestibule
Stair
Storage
Kitchen
Stair
Women's Toilets
Pipe Access
en's oilets
Housing Assistance
Fire Hose
Club Room
Electric Meter Room
Lunch Room
Police Room
Toilet
Vestibule
Waiting Room
Clerical Room
Cashier
0
Plant trees on the south
25
50
100FT
N
soften the raised park on the east: eg. plant trees, rammed earth embankment
0
25
50
100FT
N
Typical Floor Plan: 1980 Vision
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24
Boiler Flue Core No.3
Unit B
Unit D
Unit C
Unit E
Lobby
Unit F
Unit A
Unit G
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29
30
31
32
33
34
Fire Hose
Core No.4
Unit I
Unit K
M
Lobby Unit H
Unit M
Unit J
Unit L
0
25
50
100FT
N
Typical Floor Plan: Proposed
16
17
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19
20
21
22
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24
Boiler Flue Core No.3
Unit B
Unit D
Unit C
Unit E
Lobby
Unit F
Unit A
East and West: Vertical Solar Panels
Unit G
North: French Balcony Air Source Heat Pump
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25
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Fire Hose
Core No.4
Unit K
Unit I M
Lobby Unit H
Unit M
Unit J
Unit L
South: Green Walls Recessed Balcony Shading Air Source Heat Pump
0
25
50
100FT
N
Proposed Energy Efficiency Measures and Carbon Payback Timeline
Total Carbon Emission Reduction over 25 Years (Metric Tons CO2e)
69.3%
Reduction in EUI
75%
Reduction in Carbon Emission over 25 yrs
Carbon Emission Scenarios
Total Carbon Emission Reduction over 25 Years (Metric Tons CO2e)
69.3% reduction
Cumulative Emission over Time
49.5% reduction
EEM 1: Solar PV
3.4%
Reduction in EUI
24%
Reduction in Carbon Emission over 25 yrs
Design Overview produced by janice chu
Design 1 morrisania air right, 3125 park ave Design
Components
Design
Design 1
DC Nameplate
292.5 kW
AC Nameplate
234.0 kW (1.25 DC/AC)
Last Modi ed
janice chu (Today at 7:36 PM)
Component
Name
Count
Inverters
M250 (240V) (Enphase)
975 (234.0 kW)
AC Branches
1000 MCM (Aluminum)
49 (29,470.5 ft)
Module
Trina Solar, TSM-300PA14A (300W)
975 (292.5 kW)
Field Segments Project Location
Description
Racking Orientation
Tilt Azimuth
Intrarow Spacing
Frame Size
Frames Modules Power
Field Segment 1
Fixed Tilt
Portrait (Vertical)
10° 141.1768°
1.5 ft
1x1
175
175
52.5 kW
Field Segment 2
Fixed Tilt
Portrait (Vertical)
10° 140.30339° 1.5 ft
1x1
214
214
64.2 kW
Field Segment 3
Fixed Tilt
Portrait (Vertical)
10° 140°
1.5 ft
1x1
180
180
54.0 kW
Field Segment 4
Fixed Tilt
Portrait (Vertical)
10° 140°
1.5 ft
1x1
406
406
121.8 kW
Wiring Zones
Wall PV References
Description
Combiner Poles
String Size
Stringing Strategy
Wiring Zone
-
1-1
Along Racking
EEM 1: Solar PV (roof and wall PV energy generation) PVWatts Calculator
RESULTS
mance clude and ations pecific d by dules not esser rivate d PV dvisor more f PV
Month
odel") wable h is nable U.S. ay be
Solar Radiation
AC Energy
2 ( kWh / m / day )
( kWh )
January
2.94
22,561
February
3.70
25,297
March
4.48
32,549
April
5.47
37,430
May
5.70
39,076
June
6.23
40,141
July
6.23
40,817
August
5.64
36,971
September
5.16
33,609
October
4.01
28,434
November
3.22
22,848
December
2.42
18,151
4.60
377,884
l not ising, er to pts or shall aining o the ons or
d on ather e an nnual (open
watts.php
377,883 kWh/Year* System output may range from 362,730 to 390,543 kWh per year near this location.
ars of cation on of more eport:
MNIFY ATES, OYEES MAND, NEYS' ANCE, ANY EL IS AS IS' PLIED NOT ES OF OR A ESSLY HALL ANY NTIAL EVER, AIMS A OR ANY E OR OUT E OR
Roof
Annual
perform better in summer months harvesting
Location and Station Identification Requested Location
new york
Weather Data Source
Lat, Lng: 40.81, -73.94
Latitude
40.81° N
Longitude
73.94° W
7.5 mi
PV System Specifications DC System Size
292.5 kW
Module Type
Standard
Array Type
Fixed (roof mount)
System Losses
14.08%
Array Tilt
25°
Array Azimuth
140°
DC to AC Size Ratio
1.2
Inverter Efficiency
96%
Ground Coverage Ratio
0.4
Albedo
From weather file
Bifacial
No (0)
Monthly Irradiance Loss
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
June
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
July
Aug
Sept
Oct
Nov
Dec
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
Performance Metrics DC Capacity Factor
14.7%
1/1
RESULTS
nce ude and ons cific by ules not sser vate PV isor ore PV
Solar Radiation
AC Energy
2 ( kWh / m / day )
( kWh )
January
4.02
15,699
February
4.35
15,636
March
4.29
16,451
April
4.24
15,474
May
3.90
14,252
June
3.75
12,873
July
4.16
14,559
August
4.11
14,417
September
4.50
15,538
October
4.27
16,044
November
4.12
15,485
December
3.25
13,044
4.08
179,472
not ng, to s or hall ning the s or
atts.php
179,472 kWh/Year*
Month
el") able is able U.S. be
on her an nual pen
Wall
System output may range from 172,275 to 185,484 kWh per year near this location.
s of tion n of ore ort:
IFY ES, EES ND, EYS' CE, ANY IS IS' IED NOT OF A SLY ALL ANY IAL ER, IMS OR ANY OR OUT OR
PVWatts Calculator
Annual
perform better in winter months harvesting
Location and Station Identification Requested Location
new york
Weather Data Source
Lat, Lng: 40.81, -73.94
Latitude
40.81° N
Longitude
73.94° W
7.5 mi
PV System Specifications DC System Size
156 kW
Module Type
Standard
Array Type
Fixed (roof mount)
System Losses
14.08%
Array Tilt
70°
Array Azimuth
200°
DC to AC Size Ratio
1.2
Inverter Efficiency
96%
Ground Coverage Ratio
0.4
Albedo
From weather file
Bifacial
No (0)
Monthly Irradiance Loss
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
June
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
July
Aug
Sept
Oct
Nov
Dec
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
Performance Metrics DC Capacity Factor
13.1%
557,355 kwh/yr total energy
40%
of existing electricity use
1/1
EEM 2: Increase Wall Insulation
original 300mm brick wall
200mm prefabricated wood-framed panels filled with dense-packed straw insulation
20mm brick slip clad
5%
Reduction in EUI
10%
Reduction in Carbon Emission over 25 yrs
added insulation dismantled brick wall
Wall Insulation References
reprocess brick for cladding
EEM 3: Window Replacement
north facade - before
north facade - after
3.8%
Reduction in EUI
3%
Reduction in Carbon Emission over 25 yrs
before
after
EEM 4: External Shading and Green Facade
south facade - before
south facade - after
1%
Reduction in EUI
2%
Reduction in Carbon Emission over 25 yrs
before
after
EEM 4: External Shading and Green Facade (Before)
exposed concrete slab edge
small window and minimal view to the exterior
monolithic and dull facade
EEM 4: External Shading and Green Facade (After)
low wall below window to minimise direct sunlight on the ground
3' sitting balcony extruded from carved in brick wall
mesh for climbers plants for additional shading and wind protection
light steel balcony extension wrapped around exposed slab
2' standing balcony extension
plant pot for shading and support for vines
EEM 5: Air Source Heat Pump
south facade
north facade
37%
Reduction in EUI
25%
Reduction in Carbon Emission over 25 yrs
Heat Pump Reference
EEM 6: Green Landscape
1%
Reduction in EUI
3%
Reduction in Carbon Emission over 25 yrs
Figure 1
Data name
Flag1 Flag2 Climate Zone Electricity CO2 emissions factor§ Electricity CH4 emissions factor§ Electricity N2O emissions factor§ §required for energy project Figures 6 & 9
Project Data entry Data entry Units Description 1 Tree dbh selected 1 Shade & climate selected 7 (Northeast) Northeast 467 (kg/MWh) 0.0030 (kg/MWh) 0.0017 (kg/MWh)
Tree and Building Data entry Enter Tree data below one tree at a time, then record results Data name Data entry Units Species code and scientific name DBH (in) Tree azimuth Tree distance class Building vintage air conditioning equip. Heating equip. Heating emissions factor- CO2§
PYCA (Pyrus calleryana)
10 4 1 3 1 1 53.1
Heating emissions factor CH4§ Heating emissions factor N2O§
Range name Flag1 Help Commands Flag2 Climate Zone Help for Selected Cell Ef_cool Ef_cool_CH4 Help Menu Ef_cool_N2O
Description
Range name
callery pear DBH (in) 30.5 ft high SE Adj post-1980 Central air/heat pump natural gas (kg/MBtu)
Species DBH_or_Age Azimuth Distance Vintage Air conditioned Heated Ef_heat
0.0059
(kg/MBtu)
Ef_heat_CH4
0.0001
(kg/MBtu)
Ef_heat_N2O
Output Help
Carbon Calculator Results (annual)
Figures 7-10
Energy reductions Cooling kWh/tree 70.82 kWh/tree 70.82
Heating MBtu/tree 0.182 GJ/tree 0.193
CO2 Sequestration
Emission reductions (CO2 equivalents) Cooling (kg/tree) 33.1 lb/tree 73.0
Heating (kg/tree) 9.7 lb/tree 21.4
Cooling + Heating (kg/tree) 42.8 lb/tree 94.4
Total CO2 Stored
Above ground biomass
(kg/tree) 515.5 (lb/tree) 1,136.4
(dry weight) (kg/tree) 219.1 (lb/tree) 483.0
(A value of 0.0 indicates no tree growth)
(kg/tree) 82.9 (lb/tree/year) 182.7
21
89
89200 ft2
existing trees on NYCHA plot
new trees to add
landscape & tree coverage
2,835MBtu/yr
45.8metric ton
9.1metric ton/yr
energy reduction for 20 trees within 15ft from facade
total CO2 store in 89 new trees
total CO2 sequestration for 110 trees
Typical North Facing Unit: 2BR 1BA 1110 SF
Bedroom 250 SF
Lobby
Living/Kitchen/ 365 SF
Closet
Closet
Bedroom 250 SF
Living/Kitc 317 SF
Balcony 85 SF before
/Dining
Master Bedroom 350 SF
Unit H
chen/Dining
y
after
Master Bedroom 370 SF
Typical South Facing Unit: 2BR 1BA 1172 SF
Closet
Bedroom 250 SF
Living/Kitc 317 SF
Balcony 85 SF
before
Unit H
chen/Dining
y
after
Master Bedroom 370 SF