Green Building
Sol Apartments is the City of Troy’s first fully electric, zero-emission building.
Sol Apartments, which is owned and operated by The Rosenblum Companies, embodies our ongoing commitment to create and maintain better spaces that build stronger communities. Rosenblum’s holistic approach encompasses more efficient, resilient buildings (“performance”) in walkable, transit-oriented locations (“place”) with amenities that empower tenants to be more sustainable (“practice”).
Performance
Sol is the City of Troy’s first zero-emission multifamily building and the first in the Capital Region to pursue Passive House Institute U.S. (Phius) CORE certification. Phius certified buildings not only use an estimated 40-60% less energy than buildings that are constructed to code standards, but they are quieter, healthier and more comfortable, in part by mitigating unwanted moisture that can cause mold and providing residents with a constant supply of filtered fresh air. The all-electric Sol utilizes highly efficient geothermal heat pumps for space conditioning and domestic hot water, energy recovery ventilation, an air-tight building envelope, super-insulated walls and windows, and smart controls. Because no fossil fuels are consumed onsite for building operations, Sol doesn’t produce any combustion pollutants, and an 80kW rooftop solar PV array offsets Sol’s energy use.
Place
Sol’s location is an extension of its sustainable design. 1818 5th Avenue is rated a “Walkers Paradise” on the Walk Score® index, because daily errands do not require a car. Residents have immediate access to local restaurants, shopping and cultural venues, as well as the Hudson Riverwalk, Uncle Sam Bike Trail, Riverfront Park, and weekly award-winning Troy Waterfront Farmers Market. Two downtown college campuses, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) and Russell Sage College, and numerous other employers are located within walking distance. For commuters, a new BusPlus rapid transit service is available at Riverfront Station, just two blocks from the property.
Practice
Sol Apartments provides environmentally friendly amenities and services to residents at no extra charge. These include secured indoor bicycle storage with tire inflator and repair tools, onsite coworking space to support work-from-home, a package center with refrigeration, rideshare waiting area, available electric vehicle charging stations, and convenient single-stream recycling. Every apartment is equipped with ENERGY STAR appliances, ventless heat pump clothes dryers, smart thermostats, and WaterSense plumbing fixtures. To promote use of public transit, residents of Sol receive a Universal Access Pass for free travel on all Capital District Transportation Authority (CDTA) services including Bus Rapid Transit (BRT), Northway Express and Flex on-demand rides. Rosenblum is also working with CDTA to bring their new electric vehicle car share, called “DRIVE,” to downtown Troy and provide residents of 1818 with discounts for the service; a DRIVE vehicle will be stationed less than a block from Sol.
Sol is a Round Three winner of the Buildings of Excellence Competition, administered by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA). Buildings of Excellence recognizes and rewards the design, construction, and operation of clean, resilient, carbon neutral-ready multifamily buildings.