‘Green’ Nightclub Trend Comes to New York - Green Inc. Blog - NYTimes.com

...Mr. Bakhshi said he spent at least 33 percent more on Greenhouse than he would have on a non-eco friendly club.

Of course, some of those extra costs stemmed from the fact that Greenhouse is seeking LEED certification, but Mr. Husserl said the energy-saving measures are unlikely to make up for the extra up-front costs in under ten years.

“It was a good learning experience,” he said.

In creating Greenhouse, Mr. Husserl and Mr. Bakshi said they wanted to show the night club industry that partying and sustainability aren’t mutually exclusive. But practical considerations were paramount.

The clubs sells organic juices and alcohol, but also offers the standard fare so as not to alienate the average customer. Mr. Bakhshi wanted a downtown location that he felt would attract a hip, affluent crowd, but chose not to buy the entire building. That made installing wind turbines to power the venue impossible; instead Greenhouse purchases wind power credits to offset all of the energy that it uses.