Energy-efficient affordable housing remains an important consideration for multifamily developers balancing operating performance, housing needs and long-term building resilience. Gilbane Development and MURAL Real Estate Partners received recognition for incorporating these priorities into the Hillside North Building in Jamaica, Queens, which was selected for a New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) Building of Excellence Award on Oct. 8.
Hillside North is part of the first phase of the Jamaica Hillside redevelopment, a residential initiative in Queens. The building is designed to provide entirely affordable housing while meeting Passive House standards, which emphasize energy efficiency and building-envelope performance.
The NYSERDA award recognizes projects that demonstrate high-performance building strategies and sustainability-focused design. For Hillside North, the recognition highlights the integration of advanced building systems and measures intended to support energy efficiency and resilience.
The project brings together two priorities for residential development: expanding access to affordable homes and improving building performance. Passive House design principles generally focus on reducing energy demand through measures such as insulation, airtight construction and controlled ventilation.
For developers and construction teams, delivering these standards requires coordination among design professionals, building systems specialists and trade contractors. Envelope detailing, installation quality and mechanical system integration are important considerations in achieving the intended performance of high-efficiency buildings.
Hillside North illustrates how affordable housing projects can incorporate energy-performance objectives into their development plans. Recognition from NYSERDA also draws attention to the role of building design and systems selection in delivering residential properties intended to support lower energy demand and long-term resilience.
For owners and contractors pursuing similar developments, the project underscores the importance of aligning sustainability requirements with construction execution and affordable housing goals. The announcement did not disclose the project’s construction cost, housing-unit count or completion schedule.
Source: Gilbane.
