Rose says sustainability no fiscal burden

At a time when eco-consciousness is de rigueur for residential and commercial developments across the city, Jonathan Rose, founder and president of sustainable development firm Jonathan Rose Companies, has his hands full. Rose talk to the New York Times about green development and how his firm is staying strong. His company works on both non-profit and for-project projects, while also serving as a consultant for government agencies like the EPA to craft public policy. Metro Green, a three-building affordable housing complex in Stamford that’s seeking gold LEED certification is a current high-profile development for the firm. Rose said that projects like the Stamford one aren’t fiscally burdensome for a developer, because there’s little extra cost associated with green building. “We spend about 1 percent more to make a building between LEED silver and gold,” Rose said. “There’s just a huge amount of data that shows we can typically reduce energy use by about 30 percent simply by very inexpensive ways, and in some way by paying better attention.”

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