photo via Brownstoner
Earlier this month, we reported that 23 Park Place had received its Passive House Institute certification. Today, the Brooklyn Paper unpacks the details: what, exactly, makes the Park Slope Passive House so passive? How does this thing work?
For one thing, it’s covered in foam — an energy-effient (and not-as-bad-looking-as-it-sounds) alternative to the sandstone facades of traditional Brownstones. And “coupled with a complete foam lining on the interior, solar panels, and methodically planned air ventilation,” that foam facade improves insulation and reduces the need for externally-generated heat by a whopping 90%.
But that’s not all: the design — a project of eco-design firm Fabrica718– also includes eight exterior rainwater collection barrels, 12 solar panels to generate energy for hot water and electricity, and “thick triple-pane glass casement windows that open like doors.”
Of course, not everyone is happy about it. The paper reports that a group of Brownstoner commenters “lashed out against the foamstone’s windows, which don’t match the ‘double-hang’ windows typical on brownstones.” Clearly, some people didn’t read The Big Orange Splot.
