A Green Skyscraper Grows in Times
Square
A Commercial Model of Energy Efficiency
By Dale Bryk
Natural Resources Defense Council
 Paving the way for future skyscrapers, the Durst Organization's 4 Times
Square is the first office tower in New York to incorporate green building
design on a grand scale. The company's use of energy efficiency, clean electricity-generating
fuel cells and integrated solar panels demonstrates the viability of these
technologies and sets a new standard for commercial development in New York.
The 48-storey, $500 million tower will also include recycled building materials,
a special ventilation system to bring in more fresh air and separate waste
chutes to facilitate recycling by tenants.
Residential and commercial buildings account for 37 percent of the energy
consumed in the United States each year-primarily in the form of electricity.
This translates into an enormous environmental impact even before giving
consideration to waste disposal practices and indoor air quality issues.
At 4 Times Square, the Dursts have demonstrated a range of technologies
now available that dramatically reduce all of these impacts. They've also
established a new and important role for building owners and developers
who want to capitalize on the potential of these technologies to reduce
their costs and the environmental impacts of their energy use.
Energy efficiency
The offices at 4 Times Square will have large windows to maximize natural
light, limiting the need for electrical lighting. Energy efficient lighting
fixtures and high-performance "low-e" windows that keep out heat
and ultraviolet rays will add to this energy savings. Although high-efficiency
fixtures and materials demand a 5-10 percent cost premium, they normally
pay for themselves within five years through reduced electric bills. Premium
windows often pay for themselves immediately by allowing the developer to
purchase a smaller heating and cooling system for the building.
Fuel cells
A fuel cell is a large natural gas "battery" that generates electricity
through a chemical process rather than combustion and therefore produces
only a fraction of the emissions of traditional fossil generation. At 4
Times Square, two fuel cells will operate continuously from the roof, supplementing
utility-generated energy during the day and providing 100 percent of the
building's nighttime electric demand.
Fuel cells are still pretty expensive-about $600,000 for a 200 kilowatt
cell that produces 3500 megawatt hours of electricity annually-enough to
power about 100 homes. At 8 feet by 10 feet by 8 feet, they are also pretty
unwieldy and it can be a challenge to locate them appropriately. Fuel cells
operate best at full capacity and, because it is not yet practical to export
electricity to neighboring buildings or sell it back to the grid, it makes
sense to install only the number of fuels cells needed to meet a building's
base demand 24 hours a day.
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The Durst Building at 4 Times Square.
Solar panels
4 Times Square incorporates solar photovoltaic or PV panels into the exterior
walls of the building on its southern and western sides. These "integrated"
PVs make better economic sense than traditional solar panels on the roof
because the builder avoids the cost of the building material that would
have been used otherwise. When a developer installs an integrated solar
panel (at $20/square foot) instead of the normal spandrel glass (at $12/square
foot), the extra cost for the solar electricity is only $8/square foot-60
percent less than the cost of purchasing solar panels and placing them on
the roof. Although the solar panels at 4 Times Square will produce less
than 1 percent of the building's base energy needs, this watershed investment
makes future cost-effective and larger systems a more realistic possibility.
Air quality
Green buildings should provide superior indoor air quality and avoid "sick
building syndrome." At 4 Times Square, the Dursts are providing their
tenants with guidelines to encourage them to choose carpets, paints and
other furnishings that will reduce emissions of volatile organic compounds
and other toxics that pollute indoor air. In addition, tenants will enjoy
a ventilation system 50 percent more powerful than required by national
standards and separate smoking lounges with separate ventilation to improve
air quality in the building.
Surprisingly, the Dursts were unable to charge an environmental premium
on rents even though tenants will enjoy large savings on electric bills
and potentially-as a result of the natural light and improved ventilation-improved
worker productivity. Mr. Durst hopes that if he can document these advantages
at 4 Times Square, developers of green buildings will be able to command
premium rents in the future.
"Once tenants see the energy savings and productivity gains in
store," he said, "people will realize that this sort of building
makes economic as well as environmental sense. I feel confident that this
is the first of many."
Dale Bryk is an attorney for NRDC's Energy Program
in New York. |
Green Buildings at the Right Price
Green buildings are grabbing the attention of architects, developers,
and building owners around the country. CityHome, sponsored by the Enterprise
Foundation, is one of the first major efforts to marry the goals of environmentally-sound
building design and affordable housing. The 42 units located in 18 two-,
three-, and four-family homes in Bushwick and Ocean Hill will be the first
sustainable and energy-efficient gut rehabilitation project in New York
City. Architect and efficiency expert Chris Benedict has designed the homes
to meet the budget constraints of typical city-sponsored projects in hope
that CityHome will become a prototype for future projects in New York and
other cities. The buildings will be super-insulated and air sealed so that
a smaller, more efficient heating system can be used, while a specially
designed ventilation system will effectively exhaust moisture and interior
contaminants from each unit to assure healthy indoor air quality. According
to Benedict, CityHome homeowners can expect to save 30-50% on their energy
bills. The result: affordable, healthy, energy-efficient, safe, and durable
homes.
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"The scientific consensus on
climate change has strengthened considerably over the last several years.
It has become increasingly clear that global warming is already underway.
Evidence is mounting that human activities-especially emissions of carbon
dioxide from the energy and transportation sectors-is at least partially
responsible. Within the US, increases in the intensity of rainfall, the
melting of high mountain glaciers, changes in the migratory ranges of certain
species, and small shifts in the timing of our seasons appear to indicate
that some of the expected effects from global warming may already be upon
us. The Kyoto Protocol provides an historic opportunity to take action.
We must get started immediately."
Howard Ris Executive
Director, Union of Concerned Scientists |
