Tour

Read the tour recap here. 

Join us for a members-only tour of the new Delos Headquarters. Delos, a wellness real estate and technology company, is meeting rigorous health and sustainability goals through the highest building certification standards available for adoption today. Delos’ new headquarters in the meatpacking district of Manhattan is WELL Certified Platinum and also pursuing LEED Platinum and Living Building Challenge Petal certification.

Janna Wandzilak, Director at Delos, will explain Delos’ evidence-based approach to design and construction in creating their own space and explore the synergies among the certifications.

This is a members-only event. Not an Urban Green member? Join or renew your membership.

Read the event recap here. 

Did you know that over 90 percent of the construction and demolition (C&D) stream is recyclable?

Recycling Certification can provide building owners, architects and builders with confidence that C&D from their job site is being recycled correctly. Come and tour Cooper Recycling’s state of the art and much-expanded facility in Brooklyn, where you will get a firsthand look at the recycling process and learn about Certification, recycling outlets and new processing.

A conversation with Naomi Cooper, Vice President of Cooper Recycling, and Stephen Bantillo, Executive Director of the Recycling Certification Institute, will take place 9:30-10:30am.

Due to the limited number able to tour the plant at one time, Tour #1 will start at 8:30am (prior to the presentation), and Tour #2 will start at 10:45am (after the presentation). Attendees will be able to sign up for one tour each, pending availability:

Tour 1: 

8:30am—9:30am: Tour of Cooper Recycling 
9:30am—10:30am: Presentation + Discussion 

Tour 2:

9:30am—10:30am: Presentation + Discussion 
10:45am—11:30am:  Tour of Cooper Recycling 

Proper dress is required for this tour: participants should wear sneakers or boots to this event. Casual dress is encouraged. Saftey gear will be provided. 

To register please contact Kaitlin Logsdon, Programs Associate at kl@urbangreencouncil.org or 212.514.9385 X118. 

Photo courtesy of Farm.One. 

THIS EVENT IS SOLD OUT.

Experience rare herbs, edible flowers, microgreens and more at Farm.One, a year-round indoor Manhattan farm. You will learn more about hydroponic farming and the leading-edge technology to grow greens quickly and reliably by reducing required resources. 

This tour will introduce you to sights and flavors from around the world, with a free gift box to take home and use in your own cooking. Join us afterward for casual drinks at Clinton Hall Beer Garden.

This is a members-only event. 
Not a member? Learn more here. 

For more information, read our event recap.

This event has reached full capacity, and registration is now closed.

NYC Parks' unique rooftop laboratory contains over 30 different systems—comprising over 30,000 square feet—retrofitted onto an existing structure. This tour offers the unique opportunity to examine intensive, extensive, modular, monolithic, agricultural, vertical and hydroponic systems side-by-side and in various stages of growth.

Maintained by the Technical Services division since 2007, the complex showcases some of the latest innovations in green roof technology, as well as the city’s ongoing commitment to reduce its carbon footprint.   

This tour is open to Urban Green Council members only. 

Shuttle transportation to and from the facility will be provided at the 125^th Street 4/5/6/Metro North Station.

PROGRAM FORMAT

8:30 AM Shuttle Service at 125th St. Station

9:00 - 10:00 AM Tour of Facility

Registration is now closed.

Photo credit: Nic Lehoux​

Lauded as an exemplar of environmental and cultural sustainability, the Weeksville Heritage Center by Caples Jefferson Architects serves as a gateway to a 19th century African American Freedman's settlement in Crown Heights. The Center is a community gathering place, providing performance and exhibit space, as well as educational facilities—a large central landscape at the heart of the building commemorates the agricultural heritage of the community and offers a green oasis to the surrounding neighborhood. African-inspired patterns and textures are woven into the architecture to create a link to the past in a modern language.

Notable also for its environmental stewardship, the Center was received LEED Gold certification for features including a closed loop geothermal system, on-site storm water management as well as innovative daylight and ventilation strategies. The building has received numerous awards for its quality of design and environmental performance such as the 2014 AIA NY Best in State Award and an AIANY COTE Honor Award for Institutional Building (2015).

For more information, check out our event photos.

Once the world headquarters of the Jehovah's Witnesses, the iconic Watchtower complex in DUMBO is now home to Etsy's Brooklyn office. The space has been widely acclaimed as a testament to the company's dedication to sustainability and the wellbeing of its employees.

Solar panels on the roof, locally-sourced non-toxic floors and furnitures, and a commitment to completely renewable power by 2020—the 200,000-square-foot space features furniture and art installations designed and made by local independent artisans, some from the Etsy's online community of sellers. Colorful couches and beanbags throughout the open office encourages collaboration and allows for a variety of work environments, including a roof garden and two outdoor spaces.

Join us for a tour of the Etsy office followed by a discussion of the challenges and lessons learned through pursuing Petal Certification from the Living Building Challenge (LBC).

This tour is open to Urban Green Council members only. Join today!

Photo courtesy of Gotham Greens

For more information, check out our event photos.

Sited on a remediated brownfield, the Whole Foods Market in Gowanus was built with a focus on energy efficiency, featuring a 157-kW combined heat and power system, a 324-kW solar array over its parking lot, plus a 20,000-square-foot, commercial-scale rooftop greenhouse run by Brooklyn-based urban agriculture pioneer Gotham Greens.

Get an inside look at the market's sustainable design, construction, and operational practices, and get a taste of Gotham Green’s growing practices with a sampling of pesticide-free, locally grown lettuces. We'll top off the tour with a lively rooftop social hour with skyline views of Brooklyn and Manhattan. Space is limited—register today to reserve your spot!

This tour is open to Urban Green Council members only. Join today at 25% off with discount code SUMMER16!

This event was coordinated by our Emerging Professionals Committee, a dedicated group of young professionals who work to create a network of leaders in the field of sustainability.

SCHEDULE

5:30 - 6:00pm   Registration
6:00 - 7:00pm   Tour of Whole Foods Market and Gotham Greens
7:00 - 8:00pm   Rooftop drinks and networking

For more information, check out our event photos.

Registration is now closed. Unfortunately we cannot accept walk-ins.

Photo courtesy of BIG - Bjarke Ingels Group

VIA 57 West is a hybrid between the European perimeter block and the traditional Manhattan high-rise that creates a new typology: the “courtscraper.” With a commitment to the client’s sustainability goals, VIA was constructed with recycled, renewable, and locally sourced materials wherever possible. The stainless steel facade is 100% recyclable with no down-cycling.

More than skin deep, sustainability is reflected in many features of the building, including a highly efficient mechanical system, high-performance glass, occupancy sensors for lighting, and a hybrid water source heat pump system. The courtyard landscaping—with 80 newly planted trees and the proportions of Central Park—brings the benefits of biophilia and human interaction with nature to midtown Manhattan.

See the building's dramatic design and sustainability features up close on our tour led by project team member David Brown (BIG).

This tour is open to Urban Green Council members only. Join today at 25% off with discount code SUMMER16!

The Sims Municipal Recycling Center (also known as the Sunset Park Material Recovery Facility) is an essential component of New York City’s sustainable waste management strategy. Opened in 2013 to ensure environmentally sound and cost-effective municipal recycling, this site serves as the principal processing facility for all of NYC’s curbside recyclables, processing more than 200,000 tons of plastic, glass, and metal each year. Sims is also home to a 600 kW photovoltaic installation, three artificial reefs, and storm water retention bioswales, ponds, and more.

See the facility's many sustainable features up close on our members-only tour. Capacity is limited—register now to reserve your spot!

This event was coordinated by our Emerging Professionals Committee, a dedicated group of young professionals who work to create a network of leaders in the field of sustainability.

What is the role of district steam in New York City? Join us for a presentation on Con Edison’s steam system, the largest of its kind in the United States. Learn the basics about district steam, how it's used in modern high-rises, and get an up-close look at a mock steam system.

As a bonus, the presentation will end with a tour of Con Edison’s experimental green roof. With 21,000 plants occupying over a quarter acre, the green roof absorbs heat and reduces the need for air conditioning by up to 30% at peak cooling times.

Come learn about a unique method of heating, followed by an innovative way to reduce cooling.

Proper dress is required for this tour: participants should wear all cotton clothing and should not wear heels or open toe shoes. Participants must bring an ID. 

Please note, this tour is open to Urban Green members only.