JPMorgan Chase’s new all-electric headquarters to have net-zero operational emissions

JPMorgan Chase’s recently unveiled plans for its new global headquarters building in New York City that is rife with impressive sustainability credentials. The 1,388-foot, 60-story skyscraper will be a fully electric, net-zero operational emissions structure.

Designed by Foster + Partners, Chase’s headquarters at 270 Park Avenue will be New York City’s largest all-electric tower when completed by the end of 2025. It will have a capacity for up to 14,000 employees who will enjoy indoor air quality that exceeds the highest standards in sustainability, health, and wellness, according to a news release.

Using a state-of-the-art structural system to cope with site constraints below and at ground level, an innovative fan-column structure and triangular bracing will allow the building to touch the ground lightly across the entire block, the release says. The building will hover about 80 feet off the ground, extending the viewpoint from the Park Avenue entrance through to Madison Avenue. The property will feature an expansive public plaza with street-level green spaces.

Construction required that contractors thread the foundation of the new headquarters through Grand Central Station and the new Long Island Railroad Terminal below it. Inside, flexible column-free floor plates will allow for easily changeable layout and floor design, including inter-floor connections.

Designers strived for high health, wellness, and occupant comfort by:

Doubling the amount of outside air and continuously monitoring air quality.
Using advanced HVAC filtration systems to continually clean outdoor air while simultaneously cleaning recirculated air.
Designing 50% more communal spaces and 25% more volume of space per person, giving more choices in where and how to work.
Offering a state-of-the-art health and wellness center that will feature fitness areas, yoga/cycling rooms, physical therapy, medical services, modern mother’s rooms, and prayer and meditation spaces.
Designing a large, modern food hall and a world-class conference center at the top of the tower.
Creating a touchless journey for employees and visitors with more than 50,000 connected devices that will make it the most connected, data-driven high-rise building in New York City.

Environmentally friendly features include:

Intelligent building technology that uses sensors, AI, and machine learning to predict and adapt to energy needs.
Advanced water storage and reuse systems to reduce water use by more than 40%.
Triple-pane glazing on the façade, and automatic solar shades connected to HVAC systems.
Site will be 100% powered by renewable energy sourced from a New York State hydroelectric plant.
The project recycled, reused, or upcycled 97% of the building materials from the demolition.
Outdoor terraces featuring natural green space and plantings.

The project is the first under New York City’s Midtown East Rezoning plan that encourages modern office construction and improvements to the business district’s public realm and transportation system.

Owner and/or developer: JPMorgan Chase & Co.
Design architect: Foster + Partners
Architect of record: Adamson Associates
MEP engineer: Jaros, Baum & Bolles (JB&B)
Structural engineer: Severud Associates
General contractor/construction manager: Tishman Construction Company of New York

Chase Global Headquarters ext 2 — Courtesy Foster + Partners.

Chase Global Headquarter interior — Courtesy Foster + Partners.

JPMorgan Chase Int 2 — Courtesy Foster + Partners.

The proportion of the U.S. workforce working remotely has dropped considerably since the start of the Covid 19 pandemic, but office vacancy rates continue to rise. Fewer than 26% of households have someone who worked remotely at least one day a week, down sharply from 39% in early 2021, according to the latest Census Bureau Household Pulse Surveys.

Man writing on notepad in front of big window

Biophilic Design | Oct 18, 2023

6 ways to integrate nature into the workplace

Integrating nature into the workplace is critical to the well-being of employees, teams and organizations. Yet despite its many benefits, incorporating nature in the built environment remains a challenge.

Office Buildings | Oct 16, 2023

The impact of office-to-residential conversion on downtown areas

Gensler's Duanne Render looks at the incentives that could bring more office-to-residential conversions to life.

Government Buildings | Oct 10, 2023

GSA names Elliot Doomes Public Buildings Service Commissioner

The U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) announced that the agency’s Public Buildings Service Commissioner Nina Albert will depart on Oct. 13 and that Elliot Doomes will succeed her.