Engine 16 Passive House passed its final blower door test

We're excited to share that Engine 16 recently passed its final blower door test. This was a huge step for the project, which is seeking passive house certification from the Passive House Institute. We are thankful to be working with the R. Sutton & Co. team and BLDGTYP, LLC Passive House Consultants, and we are incredibly happy to have Kevin Brennan, who implemented the air sealing on this project. The support of such an amazing…


Charlotte of the Upper West Side is in the news again

Charlotte of the Upper West Side is in the news again, and in the Wall Street Journal again! What a great feature on its clean air and the healthy living environment created inside this Passive House building. "Charlotte of the Upper West Side, a building in Manhattan that opened in 2023, has seven full-floor units, each with a private entrance. The building has airtight construction with enhanced insulation. Each unit…


The Catskill Project: Net-Zero Nirvana

One of the major appeals of buying a home in the Catskills is building a healthier, more sustainable life. The mountain air is cleaner, there’s quick access to hiking trails, biking, fishing and more, and you finally have the space to garden and keep your kitchen in a steady supply of heirloom tomatoes and squash all summer long. Continue Reading


The Hot New Luxury Good for the Rich: Air

When I stepped into John Roe’s apartment early last December, slipping off my boots at the elevator that opens into the home, it wasn’t immediately clear that people inhabited the space, let alone a child. The four-bedroom, four-and-a-half bath Manhattan residence looked like a showroom. Continue Reading


Reviving Tradition with Innovation: From Historical Farmland to Sustainable Timber Frame Homes in Kent

How the ECHOFOIL EXO has redefined sustainable living at The Old Orchards in Kent? 🌿 Our collaboration with Harmony Timber Solutions UK introduced the high-performing ECHOFOIL EXO breather membrane, boosting thermal efficiency and airtightness in the Old Orchards project. Project Highlights: 🛠️ Timber Frame Construction: ECHOFOIL EXO enhanced thermal comfort in timber frame homes while maintaining breathability and protection against the elements. 💡 Innovative Design: Addressing the challenge of integrating…


Case Study: All-Wood, All the Time by OPAL Architecture

For Matthew O’Malia and his firm OPAL Architecture, each design opportunity is not just a creative exercise, it’s also a potential manifesto. The question of where to build is answered by the custom client, but what remains in play is what to build and how to build it. Indeed, how should we build is a conundrum that’s dogged and excited Matt for years, ever since he partnered with builder Alan…


SARANY selects the Battery Playscape and Charlotte of the Upper West Side for 2023 awards

We were honored to learn that two of BKSK’s projects, the Battery Playscape and Charlotte of the Upper West Side were selected to win 2023 design awards. At the award event/SARANY gala on June 13th the level of the award will be announced amongst all of the awardees. This is the first award for Charlotte since the completion of the multifamily building that is built to Passive House design standards and is currently in…


4697 Third Avenue

On a prominent double-corner lot that sat empty for decades, 4697 Third Avenue addresses a diverse context with a rich program of affordable housing and community services for the vibrant Fordham neighborhood. The building balances the neighborhood’s industrial and emerging residential contexts with sculptural window fins and a building massing that rises and twists as it responds to a highly visible site. Size: 63,000 SF Client: BronxPro Group Award: PHIUS Passive House…


Candela Lofts

Project Highlights First luxury multi-family residential building in the NY metro area built to International Passive House standards Employed structural thermal breaks to thermally isolate balconies, roof awning structures and slab edge connections at the adjacent building   Thermal breaks were one of many sustainable design choices that helped this seven-storey building meet requirements for LEED Platinum and Passive House certification Learn more...


STATE STREET PASSIVE HOUSE

Address: Brooklyn, New York Role: Project & Preservation Architect Architect: Unknown Year Built: 1890 Completed: 2018 Project Status: Completed This four-story brick townhouse was gut renovated and expanded with a three-story addition in the back, built using insulated concrete forms. The garden level has a separate studio apartment in front and an indoor, 8-foot by 13-foot swim-in-place pool in back. Although the pool area is within the home’s thermal envelope, addressing the humidity issues posed by…


The Beacon Community Facility

LOCATION: East Harlem, New York, NY PROGRAM: Adaptive Re-use Community Facility TOTAL AREA: 59,300 SF CLIENT: The Community Builders + Ascendant Neighborhood Development PARTNERS: NYC Department of Housing Preservation & Development, W X Y Architecture, Victor Body Lawson, Terrain Landscape Architecture, Lettire Construction We are proud to be part of the winning team for The Beacon, led by The Community Builders and Ascendant Neighborhood Development and including PCA, WXY Architecture, and Body Lawson Associates…


Stelton project

ESTIMATED 3 MONTHS REDUCED CONSTRUCTION SCHEDULE Learn more about this Projects and others View Stelton and other Projects