Architecture Awards 2021

15 2021 Architecture Awards BUILD The firm worked with a developer that is very oriented toward building a portfolio of sustainable and efficient properties. This project will passively generate electricity using solar energy and by creating super airtight building envelopes (roofs and facades) that have continuous ventilation. The project will also feature energy recovery ventilators (ERVs), which contribute to overall energy efficiency of the buildings by recovering energy embedded into the ambient air that is exhausted/ventilated. Exhaust airstream is used to temper, preheat, or precool the incoming fresh and filtered airstream before it is discharged into the spaces throughout. The building will use a biodigester, or a tank that digests organic material biologically, to further achieve a net zero energy status. The hope is that once this project is complete and operating it will be off-grid and not utilising any outside energy. In other words, it will be a completely self-sufficient building. Node AEC prides itself on its speed, teamwork and client relations. Currently, everything is remote and digital, but it makes sure its clients feel taken care of and heard every step of the way. It also makes sure no time is lost in any part of the design build process; meeting close deadlines and saving its clients time and cost is a huge plus. And having an integrated team with an emphasis on communication ensures that nothing gets lost in translation. Node AEC implements passive house principles in all its designs including European high performance triple glazed windows, Energy Recovery Ventilation systems, insulated concrete forms, solar panels, and blue roof systems, to name a few. Its goal is to educate its clients on sustainable design to help it contribute to a greener New York. Especially in the heart of NYC, where land is at a premium and costs are high, implementing passive house design is not only appropriate but should be a consideration in every new and retrofit design project – residential or not. The commitment to creating affordable energy efficient structures should be at the forefront across industries, sectors and geographies. If Node AEC can approach design holistically and educate its clients on why this is important, it will begin to see real changes in its communities and protect its resources for future generations. Node AEC embraces sustainability not only in the buildings it designs for clients, but also in how the organisation is structured and operates. It is a one-stop shop, but the focus isn’t on the ‘shop’ – it is about the talent and processes that enable it to function smoothly and with transparency. As a small, but fast-growing team, Node AEC has experienced all the typical challenges of a limited workforce. It has developed a rhythm of communicating that allows it to embrace being a lean and efficient team. Its efficiency brings value to its clients by helping it produce successful projects; for the firm, it’s really all about the result. It is also very careful about who it hires. The people who join the team team must complement the existing staff by bringing either a new skillset or improving the existing skillsets it already has. The team at Node AEC embraces the idea that its contribution to humanity is achieved by providing efficient, environmentally friendly building designs. The company’s ultimate goal goes beyond providing an innovative design to clients – rather, it is to enhance quality of life for those in their communities, for both the present and future generations. As such, as the NODE team has seen organic growth over the last decade that has enabled the development of a local and remote workforce, Founder Jakov Saric is able to see his vision for a greener, more sustainable future based on better value and better value living systems come to fruition, thanks to the likeminded team he has built around him. COVID-19 did put a pause on certain types of projects for Node AEC, but it did not put a pause on how it conducts business. Forward thinking remote work options have been part of its daily operations for years which helped it with a smooth transition during the pandemic. The firm noticed the large push for sustainable design when the focus of Net Zero for NYC finally caught up to its existing core principles. The focus on sustainable design, not only for the environment and future residents, but for the developer’s best interest for future building compliance took precedence. Architectural firms that did not have a passive house focus are no longer designing. Node AEC, fortunately, was able to sustain and grow exponentially by providing new and past clients with the tools for sustainable builds. Indeed, times are exciting for Node AEC. It has larger multifamily developments in store, where it hopes to utilise more sustainable designs to improve the quality of life in New York and make it greener by saving energy and reducing the carbon footprint. Its commercial project in Long Island City, Imbros, will be its largest yet. While its project, Vyse, in the Bronx, will envelope all sustainable features including high performance envelope, high performance windows, ICF (insulated concrete forms), and structural soundness and resilience. The firm is also growing in the residential luxury home market as it continues with its sustainable passive standard design, specifically in Whitestone, Queens. Company: Node AEC Contact: Jakov Saric Email: [email protected] Website: www.nodeaec.com