Four
Times Square
New York, NY
Four
Times Square
New York, NY
"When we started planning Four Times Square, there was never any question that the building would be ecologically responsible. But this decision really took us to a different level, we had to apply our knowledge to new construction and push the learning curve considerably further." -- Douglas Durst, President, Durst Organization
OVERVIEW
This new $500 million office
tower located in the heart of Manhattan's most famous commercial district is 48
stories high and 1.6 million total square feet. It is the first skyscraper to
embrace standards for energy efficiency, indoor air quality, and sustainable
materials use as well as responsible construction, operations and maintenance
procedures. Commercial and retail tenants will be moving in throughout 1998 and
are encouraged to participate as responsible residents of this unique building.
To that end, a library of green information and environmental guidelines was
distributed to tenants and their architects. Operational costs are expected to
be 10-15% lower than a comparable project. Douglas Durst, president of the
development company behind the project calls Four Times Square "a shining
example for the commercial real estate community."
GREEN BUILDING STRATEGIES
Lighting
DOE-2 energy simulation modeling
software was used to select preferable lighting systems. Lighting
strategies include LED signage, occupancy sensors and fiber optics. The building
facade is largely glass, providing excellent daylighting opportunities. Windows
have high visible light transmittance glass with a shading coefficient of
.30.
Energy Efficiency
Again, DOE-2 energy
simulation modeling software was used to maximize energy efficiency strategies.
The central cooling plant runs on natural gas. Direct fired absorption chillers
and heaters use no CFCs or HCFCs. The payback time for this equipment is
approximately three years. Other features include variable speed drives, VAV
systems, and direct digital control and monitoring.
The building also generates fuel cell and photovoltaic power. The building is currently planning for two fuel cells to be located on the fourth floor. The fuel cells will generate enough electricity to cover the building's base load during night time hours. Fuel cells are non-polluting, producing only hot water and CO2 as by-products.
Photovoltaic panels are located in the spaces between rows of windows on the southern and eastern facades on the top 19 floors of the building. The PV installation is expected to generate 15 kWhour of power.
Indoor Air Quality
Four Times Square will
circulate 50% more indoor air than required by New York City code. Outside air
enters the building at 80' and 700' feet in order to avoid street exhaust. The
air is filtered and monitored, and is delivered at .20 cfm per square foot. An
additional .05 cfm can be delivered at the tenant's request. Floor by floor air
handling equipment allows individualized control and purge capability. A
dedicated exhaust shaft will be provided to vent smoking and equipment rooms.
Periodic air monitoring of tenant spaces will be conducted through permanent
tubing. Suggested guidelines for finishes and furnishing were distributed to all
tenants.
Waste Management
A careful waste management
plan for demolition and construction was developed based on detailed estimating
from all contractors. Detailed accounting of packaging, waste on site, recycled
content and recyclability was required for all contractors. Base building
materials were specified with recycled or recyclable materials. Separate waste
chutes and adequate space for storage on the loading dock were provided. In
addition, the project team, including owner, architect, engineer and
construction company, have used electronic document transfer whenever
possible.
Materials & Products:
Products from the
following companies are used at Four Times Square:
Source: Daniel Kaplan, Fox & Fowle Architects
Douglas Durst, Durst Organization
CONTACT INFORMATION
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