Natural Décor
Green model units add the finishing touch to a New York rental seeking LEED certifications. At first glance, the model units at The Helena appear to boast the typical high-end furnishings you’d find in any fancy New York apartment building. But a closer look reveals some interesting finds—chairs made of recycled seatbelts, a cocktail table built from the beams of a demolished building, plywood powder-coated bar stools, and baskets composed of recycled magazines.
These recycled, sustainable products are part of an effort to “green” The Helena, a 600-unit rental community in Manhattan. As more developers venture into eco-friendly building, green model units are becoming a valuable marketing tool. “The public absolutely loves the model apartments,” says Bob Scaglion, director of residential marketing at Rose Associates, the property’s manager. “They can see there’s another alternative to just buying regular furniture.”
The building’s developer, The Durst Organization, is seeking gold LEED certification—one of the highest levels of green building commitment offered through the U.S. Green Building Council. But these green model units don’t count towards the project’s certification—it’s just an extra step to help create a green-friendly atmosphere, says Helena Durst, the company’s assistant vice president.
But finding earth-friendly furnishings isn’t easy, or cheap. The Helena’s interior design team spent six months searching for green furnishings and had to rely on a variety of product manufacturers. “Products are not readily available, and it’s 20 [percent] to 30 percent more costly” to furnish these units, says Elaine Lewis, president of Elaine Lewis International, the project’s interior design firm. But that could change as more developers say yes to recycled seatbelts and milk cartons. —Rachel Z. Azoff