Get To Know Our SJC Green Drinks +TREES Sponsors – March 5th @ Atlas Gastropub, 6-9pm

We wanted to write a short post with some reference links about our sponsors, so you get to know more about the terrific work they are doing to make Jersey City greener and more resilient.  Some of their work is close to the ground with building projects they are working on locally and some of their work expands to statewide initiatives and development projects in other countries.

The Lively, developed by LMC and located at 321 Warren St in Jersey City, is an 18 story, 180-apartment home community inspired by a love of art and design. This boutique apartment community features refined residences, a dynamic 14,500 square foot multi-arts center for a local non-profit organization, and an unbeatable location in the heart of downtown Jersey City's vibrant Powerhouse Arts District. The building earned the National Green Building Standards (NGBS) Silver green certification for the use of sustainable material, systems, and on-going commitment to sustainability. The Lively is also the first project in the State’s history to electively install a permanent storm water retention system beneath the public right-a-away, which benefits the building and the surrounding community. Furthermore, the Lively includes the following sustainable features: condensing high efficiency gas boiler servicing the entire building, central high efficiency heating system for all common areas, LED high-efficiency lighting, high-efficiency  appliances, intelligent heating system at exterior pool, recyclable insulation, high-efficiency water closets, faucets, and showers, prefinished exterior materials, and intelligent utilities tunneling. LMC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Lennar Corporation, is a multifamily real estate development and operating company with diverse portfolio of institutional quality multifamily rental communities across the U.S. Learn more about LMC at www.LiveLMC.com and the Lively at www.theLivelyapartments.com.

JMA Jorge Mastropietro Atelier is both an architectural studio and development company with offices in Hoboken and Buenos Aires Argentina. He has completed a number of JC projects with advanced energy efficiency, materials re-use and green infrastructure elements as the main of his structural designs.  JMA considers every project, big or small, as an opportunity to bring momentum and awareness to the Green Building Movement, and as a step further towards a more ecofriendly society.

Their project at 345 Central Avenue in Jersey City skillfully complemented a 1-story historic building with a 3-story sustainable design structure which integrated natural materials, strategic placement of windows and openings to allow cross ventilation and natural light to permeate all levels, bringing the lower supermarket level and the food growing roof, which now services a business operation and the consumers of the site, into a closed loop system.  They took great pains to conserve additional energy at each level of the building system, including incorporating motion sensors along the common spaces which will greatly reduce wasted energy overtime. The project took maximum advantage of several sustainability aspects achieving JMA’s overall performance goal for the project.   More about the JMA philosophy and approach here

345 Central Avenue

We’re very excited about this upcoming event and the opportunity to bring professionals from all walks, neighbors and artists together.  Sustainability is a cultural conversation and for that to take flight, folks need to meet each other and start talking about What Sustains Us?  Join us on Wednesday evening Dec 4th downtown at LITM, 6-9pm, for some relaxed conversation -  let’s get to know one another 😊

@thelivelyapts  @jorgemastropietroatelier  #SustainableJC  #SJCGreenDrinks+TREES  #Sustainable  #JersecyCity @atlaspublichouse @atlashousenj

Get To Know Our SJC Green Drinks +ART Sponsors – Dec 4th 2019 @ LITM, 6-9pm

We wanted to write a short post with some reference links about our sponsors, so you get to know more about the terrific work they are doing to make Jersey City greener and more resilient.  Some of their work is close to the ground with building projects they are working on locally and some of their work expands to statewide initiatives and development projects in other countries.

The Lively, developed by LMC and located at 321 Warren St in Jersey City, is an 18 story, 180-apartment home community inspired by a love of art and design. This boutique apartment community features refined residences, a dynamic 14,500 square foot multi-arts center for a local non-profit organization, and an unbeatable location in the heart of downtown Jersey City's vibrant Powerhouse Arts District. The building earned the National Green Building Standards (NGBS) Silver green certification for the use of sustainable material, systems, and on-going commitment to sustainability. The Lively is also the first project in the State’s history to electively install a permanent storm water retention system beneath the public right-a-away, which will benefit the building and the surrounding community. Furthermore, the Lively will also include the following sustainable features: condensing high efficiency gas boiler servicing the entire building, central high efficiency heating system for all common areas, LED high-efficiency lighting, high-efficiency  appliances, intelligent heating system at exterior pool, recyclable insulation, high-efficiency water closets, faucets, and showers, prefinished exterior materials, and intelligent utilities tunneling. LMC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Lennar Corporation, is a multifamily real estate development and operating company with diverse portfolio of institutional quality multifamily rental communities across the U.S. Learn more about LMC at www.LiveLMC.com and the Lively at www.theLivelyapartments.com.

JMA Jorge Mastropietro Atelier is both an architectural studio and development company with offices in Hoboken and Buenos Aires Argentina. He has completed a number of JC projects with advanced energy efficiency, materials re-use and green infrastructure elements as the main of his structural designs.  JMA considers every project, big or small, as an opportunity to bring momentum and awareness to the Green Building Movement, and as a step further towards a more ecofriendly society.

Their project at 345 Central Avenue in Jersey City skillfully complemented a 1-story historic building with a 3-story sustainable design structure which integrated natural materials, strategic placement of windows and openings to allow cross ventilation and natural light to permeate all levels, bringing the lower supermarket level and the food growing roof, which now services a business operation and the consumers of the site, into a closed loop system.  They took great pains to conserve additional energy at each level of the building system, including incorporating motion sensors along the common spaces which will greatly reduce wasted energy overtime. The project took maximum advantage of several sustainability aspects achieving JMA’s overall performance goal for the project.   More about the JMA philosophy and approach here

345 Central Avenue

We’re very excited about this upcoming event and the opportunity to bring professionals from all walks, neighbors and artists together.  Sustainability is a cultural conversation and for that to take flight, folks need to meet each other and start talking about What Sustains Us?  Join us on Wednesday evening Dec 4th downtown at LITM, 6-9pm, for some relaxed conversation -  let’s get to know one another 😊

@LITMJC  @thelivelyapts  @jorgemastropietroatelier  #LITMJC  #SustainableJC  #SJCGreenDrinks+ART  #Sustainable  #JersecyCity 

Sustainable Success at McNair Academic High School!

Guest Blogger - Harshal Agrawal, Dr. Ronald E. McNair Academic High School Senior and Local Activist

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I am a senior at Dr. Ronald E. McNair Academic High School here in Jersey City interested in making change at the intersection of environmental engineering and public policy. Back in September, I petitioned the Jersey City Board Of Education (JCBOE) to install lead filters on water fountains in public schools citywide. Similar to a lot of kids in our city, I have been attending Jersey City Public Schools (JCPS) ever since 1st grade and at most schools in our city, all water fountains have been shut off for drinking use due to lead contamination from old, lead-soldered pipes. Unfortunately, a lot of students are taught from an early age in JCPS to not drink from the water fountains.

Elkay water fountains at McNair high school that have been turned off indefinitely until the water becomes potable again.

One day last year after soccer practice, I needed water, but the school had once again run out. The frustration I felt at this moment ultimately motivated me to find a solution. After some preliminary research, I found that due to state regulations, JCBOE was required to shut off all fountains where they found unsafe levels of lead and either provide alternative water sources to students or fix the pipes. Opting for the former, JCBOE put water coolers in each of these schools and according to publicly available board docs, currently ships in 5 gallon water jug replacements from a company in Birdsboro, PA (over 110 miles away) at $3.75 per bottle [1]. Almost the entire school district of more than 30,000 students and approximately 40 schools relies on this bottled water for daily consumption.

Plastic trash at McNair High School Water Cooler.

These water coolers are neither environmentally nor economically sustainable. Trash cans throughout schools citywide are filled to the brim with single-use, non-recycled plastic cups. Gallons of fuel are consumed annually for the transportation of water jug replacements. Students tend to bring plastic bottled water to school because they are not allowed to refill their water bottles, thus producing more non-recycled plastic garbage. Worst of all, schools often simply run out of water jug replacements and students have to spend the entire day without drinking water as I had to after my soccer practice that day. It's very hard for students to focus in class on such days without having any water to rehydrate, especially after coming back from phys ed. Lastly, instructional time is often wasted on such days when water is running low as "search parties" of students navigate the halls, going from floor to floor in search of non-empty water coolers.  

When I started brainstorming solutions, I knew that replacing all the lead-soldered water pipes was not a feasible option. I did some research and instead, found commercially available water filters that can be installed on existing water fountains to bring lead within safe-to-consume levels. Elkay, the company that manufactured most of the old, currently installed water fountains in our school district, makes these compatible filters.

Using McNair HS as case study, JCBOE sanctioned a water testing at the school which found that the lead levels at many of the water fountains throughout McNair HS are not drastically higher than EPA acceptable levels (<15 ppb) [2]. By attaching lead water filters to these fountains, it is very likely that their lead levels will be brought to within safe drinking levels. Once installed, these filters, which cost $80, last for up to two years and require little to no maintenance [3]. In the long run, these filters provide a cheaper and greener alternative to constantly refilling water coolers with replacement jugs.

Lead water filter on City Hall’s Water Cooler.

In September, I made an online petition addressed to the JCBOE to conduct a pilot study of these filters at McNair HS. I got the online endorsement of local parent groups such as Jersey City Together and  Civic Parent. With the help of these partnerships, I spoke at a McNair PTA meeting, BOE meeting, and Citywide Student Council meetings to get 800+ signatures on my petition to install and test lead-filters at the water fountains. As a result of this successful petition, I had the opportunity of meeting with  JCPS administrators to get a pilot study of these filters initially approved at McNair. Since then, I have acquired final approval for the pilot study from the district’s independent water contractor, Tectonics. Just recently, the purchase orders for the filters and pre/post water testing were passed by the JCBOE and now it’s just a matter of district plumbers coming to McNair and installing these filters.

While my petition has so far been successful to enact change at McNair, please still consider signing it here to show JCBOE how big of a problem this is at all our schools. I am currently working on creating a coalition of parents, students, and teachers citywide to continue this water-advocacy after I graduate and install more of these filters at other schools in the city. Many thanks to Sustainable Jersey City for letting me tell my story here and for promising to continue advocating for clean water once I’ve graduated. If you have any questions or would like to support me, please email me at Harshal.agrawal.623@gmail.com or visit my website at HABprevention.weebly.com.

[1] https://www.boarddocs.com/nj/jcps/Board.nsf/files/A7XEGM0DAD76/%24file/Attc%2011.03%20-%20AF23956.pdf

[2] http://www.jcboe.org/boe2015/images/lead_test_results/Lead_McNair.pdf

[3] https://www.amazon.com/Elkay-51300C3PK-Replacement-Filling-Stations/dp/B005IOFGKC

Get To Know Our SJC Green Drinks +ART Sponsors – Wed Dec 5th 2018 @ LITM, 6-9pm

We wanted to write a short post with some reference links about our sponsors, so you get to know more about the terrific work they are doing to make Jersey City greener and more resilient.  Some of their work is close to the ground with building projects they are working on locally and some of their work expands to statewide initiatives and development projects in other countries.

First, Hoboken Brownstone Company, founded in Hoboken in 1980 and headquartered in Jersey City since 2005, HBC has a number of Jersey City projects underway that will create over 2,000 new homes, over three acres of new parks and a significant section of the bike path system under their belt.  As a community centric development company, HBC goes the extra mile to engage community stakeholders in their project initiatives far ahead of finalizing any plans they present to the Planning Board.  Principal George Vallone is also very active in statewide initiatives, having served as President of the NJ Builders Association,  Co-Chair of NJ Future’s Task Force on Green Infrastructure (GI) which produced a NJ Developers’ Guide For GI, and most recently, worked with the US Green Building Council to introduce the RELi Standard (www.USGBCI.org/RELi) a new Resiliency Standard for Greener Buildings, Communities and Infrastructure..  

Second, JMA Jorge Mastropietro Atelier is both an architectural studio and development company, most recently completing the 54 Bright Street PASSIVE inspired project.  With offices in Hoboken and Buenos Aires Argentina, he has completed a number of JC projects with advanced energy efficiency, materials re-use and green infrastructure elements as the main of his structural designs.  More about his philosophy and approach here and recent write-up about 54 Bright Street here.

We’re very excited about this upcoming event and the opportunity to bring professionals from all walks, neighbors and artists together.  Sustainability is a cultural conversation and for that to take flight, folks need to meet each other and start talking about What Sustains Us?  Join us on Wednesday evening Dec 5th downtown at LITM, 6-9pm, for some relaxed conversation -  let’s get to know one another 😊

@LITMJC  @HobokenbrownstoneCo  @jorgemastropietroatelier  @gardencitygrown #LITMJC  #SustainableJC  #SJCGreenDrinks +ART  #Sustainable  #JersecyCity  #HomeGrown

Read both our Mission Statement & Charter (sign-on!) And complete the updated Welcome Survey

Get To Know Our SJC Green Drinks +ART Sponsors – Sept 5th 2018 @ LITM, 6-9pm

We wanted to write a short post with some reference links about our sponsors, so you get to know more about the terrific work they are doing to make Jersey City greener and more resilient.  Some of their work is close to the ground with building projects they are working on locally and some of their work expands to statewide initiatives and development projects in other countries.

First, Hoboken Brownstone Company, founded in Hoboken in 1980 and headquartered in Jersey City since 2005, HBC has a number of Jersey City projects underway that will create over 2,000 new homes, over three acres of new parks and a significant section of the bike path system under their belt.  As a community centric development company, HBC goes the extra mile to engage community stakeholders in their project initiatives far ahead of finalizing any plans they present to the Planning Board.  Principal George Vallone is also very active in statewide initiatives, having served as President of the NJ Builders Association,  Co-Chair of NJ Future’s Task Force on Green Infrastructure (GI) which produced a NJ Developers’ Guide For GI, and most recently, worked with the US Green Building Council to introduce the RELi Standard (www.USGBCI.org/RELi) a new Resiliency Standard for Greener Buildings, Communities and Infrastructure..  

Second, JMA Jorge Mastropietro Atelier is both an architectural studio and development company, most recently completing the 54 Bright Street PASSIVE inspired project.  With offices in Hoboken and Buenos Aires Argentina, he has completed a number of JC projects with advanced energy efficiency, materials re-use and green infrastructure elements as the main of his structural designs.  More about his philosophy and approach here and recent write-up about 54 Bright Street here.

Lastly, as part of SJC’s Good Food Now! initiative, we have had the pleasure to come to know a number of urban farmers in Jersey City.  A new small business called Garden City Grown will be the supplier of Mountain Mint garnish for fabulous concoction our hosts at LITM have developed as specialty green drink for the evening (Basil Vodka, Midori Liqueur, Lemonade & wonderful Sage Infusion by Garden City Grown – yum!).  Jason Biegel has forged a start-up hydroponics operation in The Heights to supply small batch herbal garnishes and infusions (fruits and herbs) for craft drinks at local bars.  New on his list is growing a crop of Thai Basil for the South House specialty drinks menu.

We’re very excited about this upcoming event and the opportunity to bring professionals from all walks, neighbors and artists together.  Sustainability is a cultural conversation and for that to take flight, folks need to meet each other and start talking about What Sustains Us?  Join us on Wednesday evening June 6th downtown at LITM, 6-9pm, for some relaxed conversation -  let’s get to know one another 😊

@LITMJC  @HobokenbrownstoneCo  @jorgemastropietroatelier  @gardencitygrown #LITMJC  #SustainableJC  #SJCGreenDrinks +ART  #Sustainable  #JersecyCity  #HomeGrown

Read both our Mission Statement & Charter (sign-on!) And complete the updated Welcome Survey