With the effects of climate change becoming even more profound New York plans to be carbon neutral by 2050. Residential and commercial buildings are some of the biggest polluters. Even with the initial cost for energy efficiency being approximately 1-12 % higher, varying by the building type going “Green” can be more cost-effective for the owner. Our project was to locate an existing building that our developer/re-development team would benefit from upgrading or renovating. I live in the town of Valley Stream a suburb in Nassau County in Long Island and very little of the town is undeveloped. On our commercial and industrial strip, I was able to find a site that I believed would benefit from “Green” building renovation/retrofitting.

1. New York University - Division of Applied Undergraduate Studies NYU School of Professional Studies
Real Estate and Sustainability
REAL-UC 1020.200
4 Credits
Spring 2021 Semester
January 28 - May 10
Sustainable Research Assignment Green Building Renovation
Locate an existing building (perhaps one that is situated on an environmentally sensitive or
challenged site), which you feel would benefit from an upgrade or renovation, transforming it into
a “Green” building. Proceed under the premise that you are a developer/re-developer specializing
in “Green” building renovation/retrofitting, targeting tenants who wish to maintain a sustainable
existence and seek to occupy such buildings. Choose a subject property not greater than 50,000
square feet in total building size (Do not use single family homes).
1. Identify the building by its full legal address and location
2. Describe and discuss the building as it currently exists
3. Submit a minimum of (5) photographs of the existing building and what surrounds it
4. Being the developer/re-developer, explain what strategies, plans and procedures you
conceived, as well as implemented to succeed in this venture, categorizing it as a “Green”
building. For example, site selection, landscape & hardscape design, shading &
daylighting the structure and interiors, rainwater collection & water conservation (occupant
sensors, plumbing fixtures), renewable energy sources (solar, wind), indoor environment
(HVAC, lighting, dust collection systems), sustainable construction & building materials
(reclaimed, recycled, recyclable, low or emission free, FSC Certified), roofing, interior
finishes, construction waste management, etc.
5. As part of your development team, what experts did you engage to assist with this project?
No financial analysis is involved with this assignment.
Keep in mind that you are strictly the developer/redeveloper of this project. You are not an occupant,
tenant or operator of any businesses contained within.
Go inside the building to examine the interior spaces. If you are unable, do your best to envision the
appearance of the interior spaces and address them accordingly.
This paper should be grammatically correct and no less than 3-type written/double spaced pages, in
addition to the photos indicated above. All papers are due in the Assignments Section no later than
10:00 PM ET on Monday, April 5, 2021. Each student will then post a summary of their research
paper including images to the Discussion Forum: Sustainable Real Estate Research Assignment. For
at least (2) entries, students must read the summaries and ask the developer/re-developer specific
questions regarding their project. Questions and responses must also be completed by 10:00 PM ET
on Tuesday, April 6, 2021.
Under no circumstances should the subject property for this research paper be one in which you have
an involvement (either individually or through your company), nor should it be the same as in any
previous research projects.