Problem Solved! For Co-ops and Condos

If your building's energy bills feel like they're running on autopilot, it's time for a wake-up call. John Stevens, founder of Alternative Sustainability, reveals how rooftop exhaust fans could be costing your building up to $70,000 a year. He breaks down how newer fan technology can slash energy use by up to 87%, with a return on investment in as little than 1.6 years. Whether your building has five fans or forty-five, Stevens explains how boards can phase in replacements gradually without blowing the budget. Habitat's Carol Ott conducts the interview.

Thanks for listening. Subscribe to this podcast for more stories on how New York co-ops and condos have solved a myriad of problems. Brought to you by Habitat Magazine, the "bible" that hundreds of board directors turn to every day!

A 1912 building on the Upper East Side failed its gas inspection and faced a terrifying reality: repairs could exceed half a million dollars, with residents losing cooking gas for an indefinite period. Peter Varsalona, principal at RAND Engineering & Architecture, walked the board through a systematic approach that ultimately saved them over $300,000 and minimized apartment disruptions. Varsalona explains exactly how they isolated the problem areas and why his testing strategy worked, but also reveals what happens when it fails spectacularly. He shares the specific changes that protect buildings and discusses why converting to electric might not be the solution everyone thinks it is. If your prewar building uses gas, this episode could save you from an expensive crisis. Habitat's Emily Myers conducts the interview. 

Thanks for listening. Subscribe to this podcast for more stories on how New York co-ops and condos have solved a myriad of problems. Brought to you by Habitat Magazine, the "bible" that hundreds of board directors turn to every day!

A newer Upper West Side condominium was facing a crisis: three water damage claims over four years had pushed their insurance premium from $50,000 to $130,000. Sophie Bird, Senior Vice President at IMA Financial Group, reveals how her team discovered the real culprit wasn't the building itself, but something hidden in the bylaws that was driving up claim costs. Bird explains the unconventional strategy her team used to help this condo escape the expensive non-admitted insurance market and start bringing premiums back down. Along the way, she shares insider knowledge about when boards should actually report claims and why frequency matters more than severity. Whether your board is currently struggling with rising insurance costs or wants to prevent future problems, this case study offers a roadmap for using governing documents strategically to protect your building's financial health. Habitat’s Emily Myers conducts the interview.

Thanks for listening. Subscribe to this podcast for more stories on how New York co-ops and condos have solved a myriad of problems. Brought to you by Habitat Magazine, the "bible" that hundreds of board directors turn to every day!

What happens when a multi-million-dollar condo conversion hides serious structural problems in plain sight? Restoration architect Hannah Sebastian, co-founder of Mayta + Sebastian Architecture, walks board directors through a real-world case involving a landmarked former church near Washington Square, where leaks, failing marble, and a visibly — but not obviously — leaning spire sparked years of debate with shareholders. Board members will learn how advanced tools like laser scanning and BIM modeling helped cut through skepticism, clearly communicate risk, and ultimately build consensus for critical (and costly) repairs. The conversation offers practical lessons and concrete strategies on how data-driven visuals can defuse shareholder resistance, and why accurate records and phased capital planning are essential — especially in landmark buildings. Habitat’s Emily Myers conducts the interview.

Thanks for listening. Subscribe to this podcast for more stories on how New York co-ops and condos have solved a myriad of problems. Brought to you by Habitat Magazine, the "bible" that hundreds of board directors turn to every day!

An 18-story Upper West Side condo thought they were being financially prudent by delaying their facade inspection. Instead, they ended up paying half a million dollars more than they should have. Gene Ferrara, president at JMA Consultants, walks through exactly what went wrong with this building and why the problems kept compounding. The terracotta repairs turned out to be far more complicated than anyone expected, involving structural steel issues and difficult conversations with residents about moving furniture. The delays meant dealing with access agreements that became increasingly expensive and complex. Ferrara explains what this building could have done differently and offers specific guidance on timing that could help other buildings avoid the same costly mistakes. The technical details are fascinating, but what really comes through is how much money and headaches buildings could save with better planning and honest communication. Habitat’s Emily Myers conducts the interview.

Thanks for listening. Subscribe to this podcast for more stories on how New York co-ops and condos have solved a myriad of problems. Brought to you by Habitat Magazine, the "bible" that hundreds of board directors turn to every day!

When a 1927 Emery Roth building on the Upper West Side faced a crumbling cornice, the board could have spent a fortune on traditional terracotta and waited two years for installation. Instead, Oswald Bertolini and Eric Vonderhyde, partners at Bertolini Architectural Works, came up with an unconventional solution that cut both costs and timelines while satisfying Landmarks' strict requirements. This conversation reveals the collaboration between architects, manufacturers, and preservationists that made the project work, plus insider strategies for managing complex facade repairs across multiple seasons. The results transformed how historic buildings approach restoration while honoring their architectural legacy. Habitat’s Emily Myers conducts the interview.

Thanks for listening. Subscribe to this podcast for more stories on how New York co-ops and condos have solved a myriad of problems. Brought to you by Habitat Magazine, the "bible" that hundreds of board directors turn to every day!

New York City’s phase-out of No. 4 heating oil is accelerating, and Jeff Cohn, Director of Energy Programs at Approved Oil, lays out the practical steps every No. 4 oil-fueled building must take to stay compliant, control costs, and avoid mid-winter emergencies. Drawing on a real-world conversion at 95 Park Terrace, he explains how to evaluate your tank room, prepare for DOB inspections, adjust older boilers for lighter fuels, and tap into the savings and cleaner performance of biofuel blends.You’ll learn clear, actionable steps to take for a  fuel transition before deadlines and prices tighten. Habitat’s Emily Myers conducts the interview.

Thanks for listening. Subscribe to this podcast for more stories on how New York co-ops and condos have solved a myriad of problems. Brought to you by Habitat Magazine, the "bible" that hundreds of board directors turn to every day!

A 200-plus-unit Manhattan condo thought they were holding a routine virtual election. Votes were cast through Zoom chat and emergency intervention was required to certify the results. In this episode, Corinne Arnold and Will Kwan from EZ Election Solutions explain why they were brought in to salvage the situation. They walk through what went wrong, why the managing agent running the election created problems nobody anticipated, and how the chaos could have been avoided entirely. The conversation unpacks the warning signs other boards should watch for and reveals practical lessons about election security, voter privacy, and when to bring in outside help. If your building handles its own elections, this case study offers a cautionary tale worth hearing. Habitat's Emily Myers conducts the interview. 

Thanks for listening. Subscribe to this podcast for more stories on how New York co-ops and condos have solved a myriad of problems. Brought to you by Habitat Magazine, the "bible" that hundreds of board directors turn to every day!

Warren House, a 330-unit post-war condo in Murray Hill, was staring down rising utility bills and Local Law 97 fines. What happened next offers a blueprint for other buildings facing similar pressures. Robert Post, vice president of co-op and condo at Parity, walks through the challenges Warren House encountered with their fan coil heating and cooling system, the technology solution they implemented, and why their first-year results blew past initial projections. He explains their approach of optimizing existing systems rather than replacing them, and details why collecting data throughout the building can be an invaluable asset for future planning. The conversation offers an inside look at how smart automation is transforming building operations, all while keeping residents comfortable and budgets intact. Habitat’s Emily Myers conducts the interview.

Thanks for listening. Subscribe to this podcast for more stories on how New York co-ops and condos have solved a myriad of problems. Brought to you by Habitat Magazine, the "bible" that hundreds of board directors turn to every day!

Residents of 1 Grand Army Plaza — a sleek, all-glass condo in Brooklyn — struggled with sweltering corridors and soaring repair bills, and set out to find why. Unfortunately, the “why” turned out to be a fundamental design flaw in the building’s ventilation system. The fix, shared by Amalia Cuadra, senior director of engineering at En-Power Group, was a phased capital project that not only restored comfort but also cut energy use, improved the building’s letter grade, and reduced carbon emissions — without blowing the budget. Cuadra urges boards to think beyond “replace A with A” and instead take a holistic, forward-looking approach to capital upgrades, which this Brooklyn condo successfully did. Habitat’s Emily Myers conducts the interview.

Thanks for listening. Subscribe to this podcast for more stories on how New York co-ops and condos have solved a myriad of problems. Brought to you by Habitat Magazine, the "bible" that hundreds of board directors turn to every day!