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EPA and New York City Show Off Greener Big Apple; Announce Winners of Second Green Building Competition

Release Date: 06/20/2006
Contact Information: Elias Rodriguez, (212) 637-3664 or rodriguez.elias@epa.gov

(NEW YORK, N.Y.) The Big Apple got a little greener recently as architects showed off their projects to help protect the environment while working to make a Bronx Zoo Lion House brighter, Coney Island’s Stillwell Avenue terminal solar powered and the New Sunrise Yard maintenance facility energy efficient. These innovative architectural projects were among the winners of The Green Building Competition for New York City, a joint United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and New York City Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) competition that attracted professionals and students from across disciplines to submit their projects and concepts for the city. EPA Regional Administrator Alan J. Steinberg and DEP Commissioner Emily Lloyd today announced the selection of winners at an awards ceremony at the Center for Architecture, 536 LaGuardia Place, New York. Partnership for New York City, President and CEO Kathryn Wylde gave the keynote address.

“New York City is taking the lead in innovative designs for sustainable development. The ‘city that never sleeps’ never stops building either, so it’s only appropriate that it integrate green building practices at every step of the development process,” said EPA Regional Administrator Alan J. Steinberg. “For New York, with its never ending appeal, yet limited space and resources, sustainable development is nonnegotiable. New York City is taking shape as a showcase for the world’s environmental friendly buildings and spaces and we will continue to support projects that creatively merge environmental excellence with practical function.”

DEP Commissioner Emily Lloyd said, “The designs being recognized today promote sustainable development that will enable us to maintain the water, air and land resources that are crucial to our long-term health and survivability. DEP is committed to incorporating these concepts into its capital construction projects and infrastructure improvements. This competition will help to encourage the same concepts to take root in development throughout the country.”

The competition objectives were: innovation (encouraging the development of new ideas in green building design), adaptation (highlighting projects that have successfully incorporated green building principles into new and existing New York City building stock), and assimilation (emphasizing projects that incorporate green buildings into the existing fabric of the community).

The design, construction, operation and maintenance of buildings account for enormous amounts of energy, water, and generate large quantities of air and water pollution. As the environmental impact of buildings becomes more apparent, a new field called green building is gaining momentum. Green or sustainable building is the practice of creating healthier and more resource-efficient models of construction, renovation and operation. By adopting green building strategies, building owners can maximize both economic and environmental performance.

Green Building Competition for New York City
For overall excellence in the use of good design principles and the integration of innovative green building technologies:

Grand Winner:
New Sunrise Yard (submitted by: Gruzen Samton LLP Architects, Planners, Interior Designers)
This project, situated on 46,300 square feet, will be the base of operations for the facilities maintenance group of the NYC Department of Transportation and is part of the NYC Department of Design and Construction’s sustainable design pilot program. Using an integrated, consensus driven process, the project achieves a 65% energy savings over the technical baseline through measures such as use of high performance glass, clerestory roof system, a high efficiency lighting system, radiant floor heating, demand based ventilation, and use of high efficiency boilers. Demolition waste will be reused and water efficiency will be achieved through native landscaping and maximizing pervious services. Runoff is contained on the site and construction vehicles will use ultra low-sulfur diesel fuel.

Winners:
Stillwell Avenue terminal train shed (submitted by: Kiss + Cathcart, Architects) Coney Island’s Stillwell Avenue terminal is the largest installation of its kind in the U.S., and the first of its kind in New York City. The 76,000 square foot glass and steel terminal is constructed using an innovative, panelized system of semi-transparent photovoltaic modules. The modules enclose the space and generative approximately 250,000 kilowatt hours per year of renewable energy. The train shed is a catalyst for the revitalization of Coney Island.

Bronx Zoo Lion House conversion (submitted by: Wildlife Conservation Society and FXFOWLE Architects) The Bronx Zoo Lion House conversion integrates a historic building with contemporary design and green technologies. The adaptive-reuse project will house a new exhibit hall, multi-purpose space and animal holding areas. The Lion House will be the first NYC landmark rated as gold Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design and is part of the NYC Department of Design and Construction’s sustainable design pilot program. Innovative design elements, like the skylights, which cover 8,500 square feet, allow for maximum natural light for the exhibit plants will minimum heat gain, allowing for a total 57% savings in energy costs over code.

Common Ground Community Pitt Street residence (submitted by: Kiss + Cathcart, Architects) This 12 story, new construction housing project will set new benchmarks for sustainable social housing in America. Materials will be chosen based on their environmental impact and materials will be salvaged from the existing building. Energy savings will be achieved through features such as a high quality thermal envelope and day lighting to a photovoltaic array, and occupancy controls. Water saving fixtures will be used throughout and a green roof will be installed using native plants.

The Helena (submitted by: The Durst Organization) This newly constructed 38 story apartment building has set an exemplary standard for high-rise residential high performance buildings. Energy use is reduced by 65% with high efficiency water source heat pumps, micro turbines, energy star appliances, and occupancy sensors. A blackwater filtration plant treats 76% of building’s wastewater on-site. The design incorporated 80% recycled content in the structure, aluminum in the window wall system, and recycled blast furnace slag in the concrete.

Honorable Mentions:
Bronx Library Center (submitted by: Dattner Architects) One of the largest and greenest libraries in the nation.

W Studio plus caretaker (submitted by: Thread Collective) A green, single-family, residential and studio space, converted from a manufacturing space.

Median Income Housing (submitted by: Ryall Porter Architects) An innovative site specific design situated in the median along Park Avenue utilizing the subway lines and existing infrastructure to improve energy efficiency.

Ana Pereira Gardens (submitted by: Francoise Bollack Architects) A supportive housing project that incorporates green design and social amenities to benefit the Bronx community.

Stuyvesant Cove Environmental Learning Center (submitted by: Kiss + Cathcart, Architects) A net zero energy designed building that will house an environmental education facility along the East River.

Grand Avenue bus depot and central maintenance facility (submitted by: de Domenic + Partners, LLP) A 550,000 square foot bus depot that incorporates green technologies and good design to decrease the disturbances to the community and the environment from its intended functions.
Jury Members:
Carlton Brown, Chief Operating Officer, Full Spectrum, LLC, Chris Garvin, Croxton Collaborative Architects, P.C., Committee on the Environment, NYC Chapter AIA, Craig Graber, Steven Winter Associates, Inc. Committee on the Environment, NYC Chapter AIA, Julie Hoover, Senior Vice President, Parsons Brinckeroff, Brian McGrath, Columbia University’s Graduate School of Architecture Planning and Preservation, Signe Nielsen, Commissioner, Arts Commission for the City of New York, Mathews Nielsen Landscape Architects, P.C., Wayne Tusa, Environmental Risk and Loss Control, Inc., NY Chapter USGBC, Liaison and Communications Committee.

Design Teams:
Gruzen Samton LLP Architects Planners Interior Designers: New Sunrise Yard NYC DOT Maintenance Facility Client: NYC Department of Design and Construction Office of Sustainable Design; Artist Liaison: New York City Department of Cultural Affairs; Architect: Gruzen Samton LLP Architects, Planners & Interior Designers; Artist: Samm Kunce Lighting Design Hayden McKay Lighting Design Inc.; Landscape Architecture: Signe Nielsen, P.C.; MEP Engineers: Flack + Kurtz Inc.; Structural Engineer: Gilsanz Murray Steficek LLP; Cost Control Consultants: Amis Construction & Consulting Services Inc., G2 Project Planning; Environmental Engineers: Philip Habib & Associates; Hazardous Materials: Langan Engineering & Environmental Services; Geotechnical Investigation: Langan Engineering & Environmental Services Expeditor Berzak Schoen Consultants; Specialty Consultant: Phoenix Design

Kiss + Cathcart, Architects: Stillwell terminal train shed Client: Metropolitan Transit Authority; Lighting Design: Domingo Gonzalez, Assoc.; Architecture and Engineering: Jacobs, Conceptual Design and Engineering: Kaiser Engineers and Jambhekar Strauss, P.C


Wildlife Conservation Society & FXFOWLE Architects: Bronx Zoo Lion House conversion Client: NYC Department of Design & Construction/Wildlife Conservation Society; Architect: FXFOWLE Architects, P.C.; MEP Engineers: Kallen & Lemelson; Structural Engineering: Anastos Engineering; Historic Pres. Consultant: Building Conservation Associates; Site/Civil, Geotechnical Consultant: Langan; Lighting Consultant: Hayden McKay Lighting Design; Landscape Consultant: Quennell Rothschild; Acoustics Consultant: Cerami (Acoustics) DVI Communications (AV)

Kiss + Cathcart, Architects: Common Ground Community Pitt Street Residence Client: Common Ground Community; MEP Engineers: Goldman Copeland Associates; Structural Engineers: Robert Silman Associates; Lanscape: Donna Walcavage Landscape Architecture and Urban Design; LEED Consultant: Community Environmental Center; Code Consultant: ADG Architecture and Design, P.C.; Cost Estimate: Accucost Construction Consultants; Zoning Consultant: Howard Goldman Law Office

The Durst Organization: The Helena Client: The Durst Organization, Inc.; Owner’s Representative: Rose Associates, Inc.; Architects: FXFOWLE: MEP Engineers: Flack + Kurtz; Construction Manager: Kreisler Borg Florman; Structural Engineers: Severud Associate; Environmental Consultant: e4, inc.; Commissioning Authority: Horizon; Engineering Facade Consultant: Israel Berger & Associates, Interior Design: B5 Studio

Dattner Architects: Bronx Library Center Client: The New York Public Library; Architect: Dattner Architects; Structural Engineer, Severud Associates; Geotechnical/Civil Engineer: Langan Engineering; Mechanical/Electrical Engineer: Robert Derector Associates; Landscape Designer: MKW & Associates; Lighting Consultant: Domingo Gonzalez Design: Acoustical A/V, Telecommunications Consultant: Shen Milsom & Wilke, Inc.; Graphic Designer: Wojciechowski Design; Sustainable Design Consultant: Jonathan Rose & Companies LLC; Steven Winter Associates; Security Consultant: Ducibella, Venter & Santore; Cost Estimator: VJ Associates; Owner’s Representative: Walter Associates Ltd.; Construction Manager: F.J. Sciame Construction Co., Inc.; Photographer: Jeff Goldberg/Esto

Thread Collective: W Studio plus caretaker MEP Consultant: Andrew Collins; Energy / Daylighting Consultant: Nico Kenziel, Atelier Ten; Solar Consultant: Anthony Periera, AltPower; Design: Thread Collective and Julie Moskovitz

Ryall Power Architects: Median Income Housing Conceptual Design: Firm Owner: Ted Trussell Porter and William Ryall; Team Members: MeriTepper, Ian Roll, Ted Sheridan

Francoise Bollack Architects: Ana Pereira Gardens Architects: Fernando Villa, AIA, Francoise Bollack, AIA, Charles Huang; MEP Life Safety Engineers: Phil Steiner, P.E. Principal; Developers: Robert Sanborn, Vice President Development, Jorge L. Abreu, C.S.W. Associate Executive Director & Director of Clinical Services

Kiss + Cathcart, Architects: Stuyvesant Cove Environmental Learning Center Clients: Solar One and Community Environmental Center; Engineer: Arup Engineers; Landscape: Judith Heintz Landscape

di Domenic + Partners, LLP: Grand Avenue bus depot and central maintenance facility Client: NYC Metropolitan Transit Authority; Architects & Landscape Architects: di Domenico + Partners, LLP; Design/Builder: Granite Halmar Construction Company, Inc. Structural & Civil Engineers: Gannett Fleming Engineers & Architects, P.C. M/E/P FP Engineers: DMJM/Harris; Construction Managers: Tishman Construction Corporation & The Washington Group

To learn more about Green Building, visit: https://www.epa.gov/greenbuilding

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