It's affordable and sustainable. That's the selling point for a new apartment complex in Kingston. Our Beth Croughan visited the senior community to find out more.

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Clara McGill has lived at the Birches at Chambers with her husband for the past two months. And her experience has been more than she expected.

"I've rented most of my life and I've never seen anything so beautiful, it's beautiful. And it has everything," McGill said.

Everything, for just about $770 a month. The 66-unit apartment complex is one of Ulster County's newest in affordable housing.

"People's incomes have dropped who perhaps have put money away for retirement and perhaps they're forced out of their houses or apartments because they can't pay market rent. People are living longer and the baby boomers are coming of age. So it's a significant need," said Steve Aaron of Birchez Associates.

And while the newest of Steve Aaron's four affordable senior housing complexes tries to fill that need. It also aims to meet others. According to a representative from the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, "this building will use about 25 percent less energy then had it been built with normal construction practices."

The main building in the complex was recognized as being a New York Energy Smart building. It also qualifies for Platinum LEED certification, which is the highest achievement in sustainable construction.

"Which makes it a building that has been adhering to best practices is the type of mechanical equipment that's used. For example the boiler is high efficiency boiler that modulates, it has a brain to it so to speak," said Joseph Malcarne, an energy consultant.

The building also features a radiant heating system in the floors and plans are in place to install solar panels to heat the buildings water supply and offset some electricity costs.

"This construction shows that it can be done, you can meet the highest standards of environmental construction while still building affordable housing," said Ulster County Executive Mike Hein.

And for resident Clara McGill, green meant much more than just lowering her electric costs.

"The trees, the flowers, everything is so beautiful," McGill said.