You know how so many great ideas are ahead of their time? That's kind of how Manhattan condos are. We've always known they're great investments and great places to live. But we didn't really know what we had until we started thinking Green. When some genius designed the first condo (bear with me!), he or she used smart economic principles to create homes that could share resources. Walls, heat, water. Security. Even luxury amenities. You name it. Lo and behold, we've found that the condominium's design is the perfect Green square one. Let's look at how the average condo is great for the environment... then, we'll see how modern developers are taking it a step Greener.

• We're all in this together. In addition to the essentials, the basic condo also shares the costs and benefits of building upkeep... meaning they're less likely to have wasteful gas or water leaks, among other things.
• Personal space, but no wasted space: Yes, a tight community is able to passively share resources. More importantly, trim buildings give Mother Nature a little extra breathing room.
• Want to break the fossil fuel habit? The simplest way to do this... Combine a large community, an efficient building, and a thriving urban area. Not even Dr. Evil could design a condo in Manhattan that wouldn't automatically meet most of these Greenisms.

Now, what about innovation? Builders are Greening it up by incorporating solar water heaters, natural lighting (with less light pollution), recycled lumber, convenient recycling programs... even ways to automatically use gray water for gardening. Plus, due to a condo's naturally shared costs, buildings can include these features without wrecking anyone's budget. Green pays off quickly anyway, so it's worth a little investment. Want to see more about how Manhattan's green apartments are becoming smarter, more efficient, and more sustainable?