BPC's green building' to be included in Norway conference

Real Estate Weekly, Oct 2, 2002

The Hugh L. Carey Battery Park City Authority(BPCA) announced that the U.S. Department of Energy has selected the new "green" high-rise residential building now under construction at 20 River Terrace in Battery Park City as one of five projects to be presented at this year's "Sustainable Building 2002 Conference" in Oslo, Norway from Sept. 23-25, 2002.

A five-person-team from the BPCA will leave for Oslo on Sept. 20, accompanied by architect Rafael Pelli, designer of 20 River Terrace, and by Russell Albanese and George Aridas of the Albanese Development Corporation, developer of the $120 million building that -- when completed in the spring, of 2003 -- will be the first "green" high-rise residential building in the world.

The 27-story "green" building, a project announced by New York State Governor George E. Pataki in June, 2000, features:

* On site filtering and recycling of waste water to supply flush water for toilets; the new "green" building will use 33% less water than a comparable non-green building;

* Energy strategies that will result in -a 67 percent reduction in electric energy use during peak demand hours and that are 35% more efficient than current NYS codes, including: natural gas-fired absorption HVAC system; digital programmable thermostats; dimmable and motion-detector controlled lighting, low-E glazing, high efficiency insulation, variable speed pumps, motors and fans, 30 percent more natural light, and the use of Energy Star appliances;

* Photo-voltaic solar array for generating electric power to provide at least five percent of base building electric load, and provisions for the future use of fuel cells;

* The collection of rain water for irrigation of the roof gardens; plumbing fixtures that use 10% less water than required by the Energy Policy Act of 1992;

* Recycling of at least 60% of construction waste; high use of construction materials with recycled content and of materials manufactured within 500 miles of the site;

* Improved indoor air quality through high-efficiency air filtration system and fresh air supply to every apartment including humidification during winter months.

Timothy S. Carey, president and CEO of the Battery Park City Authority, said, "At Oslo our team will be demonstrating Battery Park City's commitment to a new age of sustainable, energy-efficient buildings. If matched by all new development in New York City, our water recycling technologies could save enough water to eliminate any future and very expensive need to filter the city's potable water supply."

Russell Albanese, president of Albanese Development Corporation, said, "We are honored to have been selected developer of a property that we believe will set a standard for responsible building across the nation. Twenty River Terrace will give to New York a building that not only contributes to the well-being of the environment, but also to the healthfulness of its residents.

This building will introduce a new tier of choice in residences: one in which New Yorkers can select their home on the basis of issues such as air quality, energy efficiency and abundant natural light while also enjoying premium lifestyle amenities such as spectacular river views, a fully-equipped fitness center, on-site valet parking, access to recreation and cultural events and convenient commutes to work."

"The Green Building Challenge" will be a key part of the Oslo Sustainable Building 2002 Conference, which is bringing together almost 1,000 experts from more than 60 countries. One goal of the conference is to develop better tools for measuring and implementing higher level of performance for "green" buildings. The ultimate goal is to develop buildings that contribute to global sustainability by conserving natural resources and minimizing energy use.

Presenting 20 River Terrace as the first sustainable high-rise residential building will be Carey, along with Rafael Pelli, architect and designer of the building, and Russell Albanese, president of Albanese Development Corporation, developer of the building. Other presentations include: "Water Reclamation and sustainable Landscape. Practices" by Susan Kaplan, senior -project manager for the BPCA; "Performance Indicators in Sustainable Construction" by Kevin Finnegan, senior project manager for the BPCA; and "Green Guidelines for Future Development", by Peter McCourt, the BPCA's assistant director of planning and design.

The other four projects chosen by the U.S. D.O.E. to-represent the United States in Oslo are:

* Clearview Elementary School, Hanover, Penn. - 44,000 SF

* Chesapeake Bay Foundation Office Building, Annapolis, MD - 34,000 SF

* Big Horn Retail Store, Silverthome, Cob. -44,000 SF

* NOAA Laboratory, Hawaii - 140,000 SF

At 380,000 SF, the $120 million 293-unit "green" building now rising at20 River Terrace is the largest of the five projects being presented, which demon strates that sustainable technology is- applicable for large as well as moderate-scale construction.

In January 2000, Pataki proposed a Green Buildings tax credit -- the first. of its kind in the nation -- designed to encourage the construction and rehabilitation of environmentally-sound buildings by providing a credit for the development of "green buildings". The tax credit was enacted into law and became effective on Jan. 1, 2001. The provision provides tax savings, promotes improved environmental standards, helps increase energy efficiency, and creates awareness of new technologies that can improve the quality of life of those living or working in environmentally friendly buildings.