Polaris

Project Description

Polaris will be Ithaca Neighborhood Housing Services’ (INHS) second Passive House project and lessons learned from the first have informed its design. Located within a New York State designated disadvantaged community in Auburn, the 50,870 square foot 50-unit, all-electric building will certify under Phius CORE. The project will include a high performance envelope, rooftop solar photovoltaic system, triple pane windows, electric vehicle charging stations and bike storage creating a comfortable healthy environment for residents. Affordable to households earning $30,000–$60,000, with 12 units reserved for individuals with disabilities, Polaris serves as a model of how affordable housing can be sustainable, replicable, and community-centered.

Project Status: Design Development

Market Sector: Low-Rise Multifamily

Developed by: Ithaca Neighborhood Housing Services, Inc.

Designed by: Sustainable Comfort, Inc.

Notable Technical Attributes

• High performance envelope
  • Triple pane windows
• Heating/cooling– minisplit air source heat pump (ASHP)
• Domestic hot water - CO2 heat pump
• Semi-decentralized energy recovery ventilation (ERV) for common areas, centralized ERV for in units
• Onsite solar photovoltaic (PV) system

Resilience, Passive and Active Survivability

• Building is located outside of a current or expected floodplain or tidal inundation zone
• Critical loads maintained through use of backup power or use of energy storage in combination with renewable energy generation during a power outage include the elevator, select corridor lighting, heating/cooling of the community room and water heating for the community room
• Storm water managed through
  • Planted surfaces 

Site Features

• 6 electric vehicle charging stations
• Interior bike storage for 7 bikes