Social sustainability is key, offering residents opportunities for interaction, exercise, and play that reinforce a sense of community and vitality and align with New York City’s Active Design Guidelines. When moving in, a ‘Living Green Guide’ is given to each resident with information on how to promote energy optimization and healthy living, engaging residents in ways that will further improve the project’s performance while simultaneously enhancing urban life.

Sustainability and longevity were key drivers at Via Verde, enabling the project to become a stable precedent and archetype for future subsidized housing in New York. Using standard, cost-effective structural systems and a prefabricated, high-performance rain screen, the project was able to achieve lofty goals within its strict budget. Its 66 kW building-integrated photovoltaic system, onsite cogeneration, green roof, community vegetable gardens, green interior finishes, rainwater harvesting and drought tolerant vegetation helped the complex achieved LEED NC Gold certification.