The Future is Now

One Bryant Park is an amazing example of modern day construction.  The 54 story building is located in central Manhattan and is the second tallest building in the city, second only to the Empire State Building.  While its aesthetic value is enjoyed my virtually everyone, its greatest value add might not even be visible to a passerby.  One Bryant Park is one of the greenest buildings in the world!

 Richard Cook, the project architect, notes that small changes on a big scale make a huge difference and that was exactly the goal of this sustainable construction.  The green features start with the very design of the building.  The upper floors and open space create a ventilation system that actually pulls air through the building.  The building acts as a giant air filter, processing the air as it enters the building not only improving the indoor quality of the air, but also returning it to the city actually cleaner than when it came in.  The building boasts a green roof to help counterbalance the heat island effect, and extensive water reclamation system, and windows whose glass actually helps keep heat out thereby reducing the need to cool the building.  The buildings was also constructed of materials manufactured within 800 km of the site with 60% of the steel coming from recycled metal.  The developer also added slag from the manufacturing of steel to the concrete, not only making it more sustainable, but also stronger.

While many people feel that green or sustainable construction is too expensive, Cook reiterates that we cannot afford not to make these changes.  He estimated the additional cost at about 5% of the project cost with a return not only in energy savings, but in choosing to make a difference that impacts tomorrow today.