WTC Complex to be Largest Gold Certified Green Urban Project in United States When Completed

As construction on the World Trade Center complex continues, developer Larry Silverstein spoke at a recent B’nai B’rith real estate luncheon about the progress being made. 7 WTC is now the first part of the complex to be fully leased and occupied, after 9/11.

The financial firm MSCI just signed a 20-year lease for 125,000 square feet in the tower’s top floors. The building’s other tenants include: the Brain Trauma Foundation, the New York City Academy of Sciences, Moody’s Corp., and the German bank WestLB

7 WTC is the first building in New York City to receive the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED Gold certification.

Some of 7 WTC’s green design features include:

1 WTC (Freedom Tower) under current construction. Stock photo.

• Direct daylight for more than 90 percent of its regularly occupied space, and daylight dimming controls.
• High-efficiency plumbing systems that reduce water consumption throughout the building by at least 30 percent.
• The use of paints that are low in volatile organic compounds (VOCs).
• No use of ozone-depleting HCFC refrigerants.
• A requirement that at least 50 percent of the building’s wood is certified as sustainably harvested.

Silverstein told those at the luncheon that “all of the buildings on the finished site will be LEED Gold-certified, and the complex will include a performing arts center by Frank Gehry, a new transportation hub, and public space covering 50 percent of the site.

“When completed, the WTC complex will be the largest sustainable and secure urban project developed in the United States.”

Right now, 80 of the 104 floors of 1 WTC (the Freedom Tower) are completed, and Silverstein said that “the project is single-handedly keeping the local construction industry afloat.”

Also as part of the completed complex, the new central chiller plant is expected to use up to 30,000 gallons river water a minute from the Hudson to cool and dehumidify air in locations including: the museum, memorial, shopping concourse, and performing arts center.

The water is expected to be discharged back into the river at a temperature that doesn’t exceed 91 °F. Developers expect an energy savings of at least 20 percent compared to the current energy standards.

In addition, many of the sustainability design guidelines that were implemented in 7 WTC will now also be incorporated into the new constructions.

As part of the new sustainability guidelines developed by the Lower Manhattan Development Corp., the new WTC buildings need to “provide daylight dimming and occupancy sensors on light fixtures where appropriate,” and that the light fixtures need to “use high efficiency ballasts and low mercury/low lead, long life lamps.”

Also as part of the renewable energy plan, the buildings will be expected to “utilize site generated and/or purchased renewable energy for a percentage of building and energy use.” This will require the buildings to either “purchase or generate on-site a minimum of 20 percent of overall electric energy requirements with renewables.”

The buildings will also be required to use environmentally friendly and recycled materials for constructions. The guidelines say these will include things like reclaimed wood from salvaged flooring, doors, and cabinets, as well as structural metalwork from beams and door hardware. New environmentally friendly materials will include bamboo, poplar, cork, wool, cotton, jute, sisal, and soybean products.

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