Sustainable Classic
...for access to the elevators, bathrooms, and central lobby.
Other energy-saving features in the space are waterless urinals, hand-sensor faucets, and low-flow toilets in the bathroom that reduce water usage by 40% below Energy Policy Act standards. And the space has submeters for electric, chilled water, and steam usage to help Skanska track usage.
Other sustainable elements that helped Skansa hit the mark are:
• low-VOC paints, adhesives, and finishes for better air quality
• cork for flooring and paperstone – recycled, compressed paper that forms a durable surface – for kitchen tabletops and workstation furniture
• Forest Stewardship Council-approved wood-based materials
• recycling of 80% of construction waste
• procurement of 28% of materials from manufacturers within 500 mi.
Pressler says the experience has sparked interest by the building’s owners, who believe Skanska is using less than a third of the standard 6W per sq ft of electricity called for in most tenant contracts. “That could really reduce the need for extensive electrical infrastructure,” he says.
And in the bigger picture, Skanska is contributing to “marketplace transformation,” Cook says.
“Somebody has to take a leadership role and do the hard work to be the first, the second, the third,” he says. “At some point these become standard practices.”
Key Players:
Tenant, Construction Manager: Skanska USA, Parsippany, N.J.
Architect: Cook + Fox Architects, New York
Programming Architect: Swanke Hayden Connell Architects, New York
M-E-P Engineer: Cosentini Associates, New York
Lighting Design: Arup, London
LEED Charrette Coordinator: Terrapin Bright Green, New York
Building Owner: W&M Properties, New York
