Talk about going off the grid. The Durst Organization’s Hallets Point development in Astoria is set to become the first residential complex in New York City to function independently of the city’s power grid.
Durst broke ground Thursday morning on the $1.5 billion, 2,400-unit project, which will include three of its own power generation facilities.
The three “co-generating” plants will use natural gas to create up to 6.8 megawatts of electricity, according to Politico, that will be used to heat apartments and water as well as cool down water for air conditioning.
The system could prove to be 80 percent energy efficient, the website reported. For comparison, conventional buildings achieve around 35 percent efficiency.
The project, which the developer put together through an intricate assemblage play, also signals the Dursts distancing themselves from Con Ed, with the developer one of several unhappy with fees extracted by the utility for use of its grid. [Politico] – Rey Mashayekhi