One of the most striking additions to New York City’s skyline is The Tower at One Bryant Park. The glass clad structure, home to 2.1 million square feet of office space and Bank of America’s New York headquarters, represents the pinnacle in green building. Currently working on Leadership in Energy and Environment Design (LEED) platinum certification, this building contains numerous characteristics which help define it as one of New York’s “greenest buildings”.

Architectural firm Cook + Fox designed the building with several features that set the Tower at One Bryant Park apart from other skyscrapers. According to Cook + Fox the Tower

“will be the first high-rise to reach for . . . LEED Platinum certification. To enhance health and productivity of it tenants, reduce waste, and promote environmental sustainability, the building will use a number of strategies. An exquisitely clear, high-performance glass curtain wall permits maximum sunlight and views to interior spaces, while shielding out unwanted heat. An advanced under-floor air delivery system facilitates more heating and cooling while providing highly filtered fresh air. Efficient power comes from an on-site cogeneration plant, which works in concert with an ice-storage system to reduce the building’s peak energy demands. The tower will also capture and re-use nearly all rainwater and wastewater, saving millions of gallons of precious clean water each year. A high percentage of the building’s materials come from recycled and renewable sources within 500 miles of New York City.”

Developed by The Durst Organization, the building continues their continued mission to improving the ambient environment of New York City. The Durst Organization has a long standing environmental ethos. The Tower at One Bryant Park reflects this belief:

Green Features

• Building on The Durst Organization’s and Cook+Fox’s commitment to environmentally responsible architecture, the Bank of America Tower will incorporate innovative, high-performance environmental technologies to promote the health and productivity of tenants, reduce waste and assure environmental sustainability
• Advanced double-wall technology provides remarkable views in and out of building, while dissipating the sun’s heat
• Carbon dioxide monitors automatically adjust the amount of fresh air when necessary
• Waterless urinals, low-flow fixtures, etc. decrease the use of precious resources
• Thermal storage system at cellar level, produces ice in the evening when electricity rates are lowest to reduce peak daytime demand loads on the city
• Daylight dimming and LED lights reduce electric usage
• Recyclable and renewable building materials (steel, blast furnace, drywall)
• Green roofs reduce urban heat island effect
• State-of-the-art onsite 5.1-megawatt co-generation plant provides a clean, efficient power source for the building’s energy requirements
• 95% air filtration
• Anaerobic digester plan converts food waste into electricity (being studied)

Environmental Goals

• World’s most environmentally responsible high-rise office building, focusing on sustainable sites, water efficiency, indoor environmental quality, and energy and atmosphere
• Reduce energy consumption by a minimum of 50%
• Reduce potable water consumption by 50%
• Reduce storm water contribution by 95%
• Utilize 50% recycled material in building construction
• Obtain 50% of building material within 500 miles of site

Both the developer and the architect held steadfast to a vision of green building as a core belief. According to Reed Construction “The average additional cost quoted is in the range of 2% to 5%.” However, the investment can be easily recovered from reduced electricity consumption, increased worker productivity, lower peak demand, minimal water expenditures and onsite energy production. All of these factors are referred to as lifecycle costs and need to be factored into a building’s bottom line. The benefits of a truly green building are numerous.

- Eric Wilson

[Image source: NYC Architecture]