Commercial, Energy Efficiency, Energy Storage, Microgrids, CHP  -  January 20, 2016

Massive NYC development to become city's first off-grid residential complex

The Durst Organization, a major New York City real estate business, recently broke ground on a 2,400-unit residential complex in Queens that will include three dedicated power generation facilities and onsite wastewater treatment.

The Hallets Point development features a state of-the-art cogeneration plant that will enable the development to generate its own electricity, hot water, heating, and cooling onsite, independent of the local electric grid. The micro-grid created at this project will make Halletts the only "off the grid" residential campus in New York City, the company said in a news release.

The three co-generation plants will use natural gas to create up to 6.8 MW of electricity that will be used to heat apartments and water as well as cool down water for air conditioning, according to Politico. The system could prove to be 80% energy efficient, while conventional buildings achieve around 35% efficiency.

A blackwater reclamation system will recycle wastewater onsite. Building one will process up to 50,000 gallons of water each day and buildings two through five are expected to process 85,000 gallons each. This system will prevent millions of gallons of waste water from being dumped into the East River and the reclaimed water will be used to flush toilets and to irrigate the campus, the Durst Organization said. 

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