Published by Rosalind on 11 May 2009
Green Architecture in New York
On a visit to Black Rock Forest Consortium, a research forest in the Hudson Highlands, 50 miles north of New York City, I was excited to see all the green features used in the buildings. The 3830-acre Forest encompasses native terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems now increasingly rare in the region. This beautiful place has been managed for research from its founding in 1928 by Ernest Stillman, through its 40 years as part of the Harvard University Forest system, and to its acquisition by William T. Golden and the creation of the Consortium in 1989. As part of the Consortium’s work, green building standards have been used for recent construction, and visiting the Center for Science and Education is a treat!
It’s great to see how the green architectural features make the building comfortable year-round, with amazing energy efficiency. The building uses geothermal energy (Geothermal ground source heat pumps provide heating, cooling, and hot water, avoiding the use of conventional air conditioners and heating systems that use fossil fuels. Learn how the geothermal system works.) as well as solar arrays, composting toilets, and architectural features. Soon to be added is a wind turbine! To read about the green features in the Black Rock Forest buildings, click here: Black Rock Green Buildings.

This small wind turbine will be used in a test of wind energy at the Forest.

One of the composting toilets in the Ladies Room.

Helpful information for the composting toilet.

Solar Powered Stairs? No, but this roofed walkway helps provide electricity to the building.

Here's the building itself.
This solar array also provides shade for the picnic area.