This post is all about #ExploreBrooklyn, and guess what we found? A 65,000 ft² rooftop garden, which is the Brooklyn Grange Rooftop Farm, habitat restoration, and a LEED Platinum Certified Building…just to mention a few.

 

Brooklyn NAVY Yard

For 165 years, the Brooklyn Navy Yard built some of America’s most famous fighting ships, from sailing frigates to aircraft carriers. Currently, the Yard is home to hundreds manufacturing, technology, and creative businesses in NYC. All of the sites we explored below are part of the Brooklyn NAVY Yard and their mission to re-purpose and revitalize the buildings in the yard.

 

Brooklyn Grange Rooftop Farm

 

How cool. There is a 65,000 sq. foot garden in the midst of an sprawling, urban city-scape. It produces thousands of pounds of produce a year, and sells it right in the city. They also produce their own honey and eggs. But it not just about farming, it’s about education. The farm hosts both private and public events, including farm dinners, workshops, classes, educational programs, and tours. They are also a national leader in the development of rooftop and urban farming techniques.

Brooklyn Grange is definitely a mission-driven company. We love what they have to say on their About Page regarding growing fresh vegetables, promoting sustainable living, composting, and creating cleaner air and water.

 

 

Brooklyn NAVY Yard Building 92

“Built in 1858, BLDG 92 was originally the Marine Commandant’s residence. Today, this fully-restored, LEED Platinum building is the Yard’s exhibition, employment, and visitor center.” It’s worth noting that LEED Platinum is pretty badass, especially when you consider that it is not easy to make an existing building super-energy-efficient. It’s much harder than a new building. So cheers to Building 92 for showing it can be done, and being a showcase for LEED*.

*LEED certification provides independent verification of a building or neighborhood’s green features, allowing for the design, construction, operations and maintenance of resource-efficient, high-performing, healthy, cost-effective buildings. LEED is the triple bottom line in action, benefiting people, planet and profit.

 

 

Brooklyn Greenway Initiative

New York City’s newest green space, the Brooklyn Greenway Initiative‘s Naval Cemetery Landscape, a meadow designed to restore the natural habitat, provide a space for environmental education, and commemorate the thousands of sailors, Marines, and others once interred at the site. We were really struck by the design of this outdoor space. It’s very enticing and draws you in to meander around.

 

NEW LAB Brooklyn

So technically we didn’t tour this place, but it was pointed out and mentioned. That prompted a little research at home. Wow. This is a completely drool-worthy, shared-work-space, technology den. We would totally take space there. Maybe they wouldn’t notice architecture isn’t technically an advanced technology discipline? Check them out for yourself: NEWLAB

 

Have you discovered little pockets of architecture and sustainability in NYC? Comment below so we can check them out!