This Eco-Friendly Philly Loft Was Once a Pickle Factory

In Philadelphia's northeastern Fishtown neighborhood, where—you guessed it—fish trading was once the area's claim to fame, former manufacturing hubs, hit hard by the flight of industry from America's cities in the middle of the 20th century, are finding new life as residences. This 1880s warehouse-turned-live/work space, completed by local firm Bright Common for fine-arts photographer Jaime Alvarez and his girlfriend, presents a particularly handsome example of such a rebirth, with an eco-spin.

The place got a net-zero energy retrofit and is host to tons of eco-friendly fixtures and appliances to reduce its water and power usage. High-efficiency pumps for heating and cooling, LED lighting, and low-flow plumbing are just the start: A photovoltaic array on the roof and, according to the firm, newly super-insulated walls also help the pad earn its green cred.

· Pickle Factory [Bright Common]
· All Philadelphia posts [Curbed]
· Previous sustainable design coverage [Curbed]