This month marks the completion of a new 16-story office tower that is being promoted as New York City’s most sustainable office structure. That boast is backed by an innovative HVAC system that features geothermal wells, dedicated outdoor air system (DOAS) units, radiant heating and cooling, and a sophisticated control system to ensure that the elements work optimally together.
The 555 Greenwich development is connected to the structural frame of the adjoining 345 Hudson St. office building. Its advanced HVAC technologies will result in whole-building energy use of less than half of its adjoining office mate and be 40% lower than an average large New York City office building, according to a news release from Hudson Square Properties, the building’s developer.
The tower is fully electrified with no fossil fuel use on site for any purpose. Even though it uses electricity to heat the building, it will use 40% less electricity than comparable commercial properties. The building employs a fully integrated radiant heating and cooling system fed by fluid conditioned in geothermal wells along with a dedicated outdoor air system (DOAS). Working in concert, the two systems optimize energy efficiency and thermal comfort. The DOAS also supplies fresh air for a healthier indoor environment.
A closed-loop geothermal system embedded in foundation caissons uses the steady temperature of the ground for heating and cooling. The geothermal and radiant heating systems effectively turn the concrete superstructure of the building into a large thermal battery. 555 Greenwich will be the first New York City office building to utilize these systems together in this way, the release says.
Advanced building control systems bolster sustainability. “555 Greenwich is pioneering the use of AI to efficiently toggle between the building’s multifaceted geothermal heat sources, predict heating and cooling needs in advance based on weather forecasts and occupancy patterns, and, over time, learn how to more efficiently transfer energy to and from sister building 345 Hudson,” the release says. “A key component of 555 Greenwich’s construction was a one-of-a-kind horizontal overbuild fully integrating the brand-new building with its century-old sibling, and the dynamic is a look at how modern technology can be integrated into older properties.”
Consulting engineers JB&B and sustainable design firm COOKFOX consulted with Swedish firm urbs to develop the leading-edge HVAC system based on concepts employed more commonly in Europe.
On the building team:
Owner and/or developer: Hudson Square Properties and Hines
Design architect: COOKFOX
Architect of record: COOKFOX
MEP engineer: JB&B
Structural engineer: Thornton Tomasetti
General contractor/construction manager: AECOM Tishman
Related Stories
Office Buildings | Sep 20, 2016
Sterling Bay proposes SOM-designed office tower near Chicago’s newly opened Transit Center at Union Station
The building is one of several projects that are filling this developer’s plate in this city.
Office Buildings | Sep 8, 2016
Taipei’s Lè Architecture, designed by Aedas, is almost complete
The 18-story building is designed to resemble a moss-covered river pebble in Taipei’s Nangang District.
Office Buildings | Sep 2, 2016
Eight-story digital installation added as part of ESI Design’s renovation of Denver’s Wells Fargo Center
The crown jewel of a three-year makeover project, the LED columns bring the building’s lobby to life.
Codes and Standards | Sep 1, 2016
Overuse of air conditioning hurts office productivity
A study found temperatures in the low 70s reduce worker performance.
| Aug 12, 2016
OFFICE GIANTS: Technology is giving office workers the chance to play musical chairs
Technology is redefining how offices function and is particularly salient in the growing trend of "hoteling" and "hot seating" or "free addressing."
| Aug 12, 2016
Top 70 Office Engineering Firms
Jacobs, AECOM, and Thornton Tomasetti top Building Design+Construction’s annual ranking of the nation’s largest office sector engineering and E/A firms, as reported in the 2016 Giants 300 Report.
| Aug 12, 2016
Top 100 Office Construction Firms
Turner Construction Co., Structure Tone, and Gilbane Building Co. top Building Design+Construction’s annual ranking of the nation’s largest office sector construction and construction management firms, as reported in the 2016 Giants 300 Report.
| Aug 12, 2016
Top 100 Office Architecture Firms
Gensler, HOK, and Perkins+Will top Building Design+Construction’s annual ranking of the nation’s largest office sector architecture and A/E firms, as reported in the 2016 Giants 300 Report.
Office Buildings | Jul 29, 2016
The ROI of company culture: Why companies should look at culture’s impact on profit
Organizations that purposefully craft and develop their culture experience a 14% turnover rate, whereas organizations that ignore their culture experience a 48% turnover rate, writes PDR Senior Consultant Christine Mikhail.
Office Buildings | Jul 13, 2016
Latest Gensler survey links innovation with workplace flexibility
A poll of 4,000-plus U.S. workers finds the most innovative among them spend less time at the office.
