ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) – The winners of the second round of the Buildings of Excellence competition were announced on Thursday. This round includes three Capital Region developments and awards total $2.75 million out of $13 million for this round.

Buildings of Excellence recognize design, construction and operation of low-carbon or carbon neutral multi-family buildings. The competition supports Governor Cuomo’s clean energy and climate goals, including the goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 85% by 2050 as mandated in the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act.

Highlights of the awarded projects include: 

  • Affordable Housing: 78% of the units being constructed will serve low- to moderate-income customers, an increase from 68% in Round One
  • First All-Electric Skyscraper: The first super tall high-rise in the competition’s history, the 45-story, highly-efficient, all-electric Court Square project in Long Island City will demonstrate success and advancement in carbon neutral design for one of the most challenging of building styles
  • Predictable Utility Costs: At least five projects include an “all in” rental model, where residents have stable rent and utility costs
  • Carbon Neutral Performance: 100% of projects are carbon neutral, meaning they are highly efficient, all-electric with no use of fossil fuel combustion on site for daily operations
  • Cost Compression and Increased Resiliency: Average construction costs have decreased while use of materials with lower embodied carbon and climate resiliency building features like shading, back-up power and flood mitigation have increased

Winners were required to show cost-effective, low-carbon or carbon-neutral designs that are profitable for developers, offer predictable revenue and costs, and provide a competitive edge while also creating a comfortable, healthy, and affordable space for future residents. The winning projects will also provide comprehensive data on design, construction and cost. This data will be analyzed and shared to increase the number of low- to zero-carbon buildings in New York. 

The three winning projects from the Capital Region are:

Great Oaks Mixed Use Eco-Park: Building 150 in Guilderland ($1,000,000)
Developed by: The Rosenblum Companies
Designed by: Re:Vision Architecture

The Seventy Six Building C in Albany ($1,000,000)
Developed by: South End Development LLC
Designed by: Garrison-Architects

Solara Apartments Phase III in Rotterdam ($750,000)
Developed by: Bruns Realty Group, LLC
Designed by: Black Mountain Architecture