Four years after completing The Beach, a 336-unit apartment complex in Jersey City’s Newport neighborhood, New York City-based developer LeFrak has retrofit the property with what it says is the largest high-rise multifamily solar installation in New Jersey.
Sporting 450 solar panels across two building rooftops, the array was installed by Brooklyn, New York-based Sunkeeper Solar and cost just under $1 million. The 180-kilowatt system produces enough energy to offset 13% of the carbon emissions from the building’s common areas and heating and cooling systems, according to LeFrak.
The project is part of a larger sustainability initiative for Newport, which has been an active LeFrak master-planned development since the 1980s. The developer has invested over $100 million in energy conservation and decarbonization efforts at its properties nationwide, according to its news release.
“We have a lot of electric vehicle charging infrastructure [at Newport],” Charles Burton, head of community relations for LeFrak, told Multifamily Dive. “We're beginning to use glass that reduces our energy needs. We use heat pump-based HVAC systems … and we have a lot of green cover around the Newport campus parks.”
Here, Burton talks with Multifamily Dive about the installation process, its challenges and successes and LeFrak’s plans for future solar development.
This interview has been edited for brevity and clarity.
MULTIFAMILY DIVE: Why did you choose now to put solar panels on this property?
CHARLES BURTON: Solar has always been front of mind for us. Our approach to this was, the roof of The Beach building presented a large enough surface and a flat surface without any sort of mechanical or utility infrastructure. So, it was suitable for a large enough solar installation.
We're always looking for opportunities to incorporate sustainable practices into our buildings. With The Beach building, as it moved through design, construction and then came to fruition, we realized that the opportunity would be appropriate for a solar installation, so we said, let's do it.
How long did the installation process take?
The entire process took about two years, mainly because we faced delays during the COVID pandemic and with material delivery, but we're thrilled to have completed this record-setting installation and to continue our commitment to our residential communities.
How did you add the panels without disrupting residents?
We didn’t experience any resident complaints during construction, as the work was performed on the upper roof and most of the solar panel equipment was lifted to the roof. Any noise during construction was minimized due to the open mechanical area in between the lower and upper roof.
Did you receive any tax incentives for this solar installation?
Yes. The incentive was through the New Jersey Clean Energy Program. A good state incentive and a good opportunity.
What were your biggest challenges in putting this installation together?
The scale of this installation and the attention to detail with which our team works led us to take many precautions during the process.
We had to install a permanent railing around the roof perimeter for safety purposes, work closely with the roofing manufacturer to install several hundred stainless steel solar panel anchors on top of the existing roof and safely store and maneuver the crane for multiple days to transport all the solar material to the roof.
Any plans for future installations?
We're committed to incorporating sustainability measures in our existing and upcoming developments. Solar technology is assessed on an ongoing basis and we pursue installations at existing buildings and on new construction wherever feasible.
