Currents

An Energy Newsletter for Local Governments

AIA's Top Ten Green Projects Showcase Environmentally Responsible Design, Redevelopment of Viable Brownfields

The Plaza at PPL Center, Allentown, Pa.,
Robert A.M. Stern Architects, New York City
(In association with Kendall/Heaton Associates and with support from environmental building consultant Atelier Ten)
URL: http://www.aiatopten.org/hpb/overview.cfm?ProjectID=259

This LEED™ Gold high-performance urban office building, was designed and built in 18 months on a suburban real-estate budget ($104 per square foot hard cost for the shell and core). The eight-story building offers Allentown 's downtown its first new office development in over 25 years. A dramatic eight-story glass atrium brings natural light deep into the core of the building, while extensive perimeter glazing provides panoramic views and abundant daylight filtered through brises-soleil directly to all building spaces. CO₂ sensors ensure that fresh air is supplied directly to each building area as needed. A pair of two-story plant-filled winter gardens along the south façade of the building provide unique workspaces for the occupants, bring daylight deeper into the floor plates, control glare, and improve indoor air quality. The building's layout and efficient building systems — plus through the use of zero-emitting or very low VOC-emitting paint, adhesives, sealants, carpet, and composite wood--reduce energy demand by more than 30 percent over code requirements. Water use is 45 percent below code requirements, and construction materials contained more than 20 percent recycled content.

Jury Comments: With a clean aesthetic in a conventional building block, this project makes a number of nice moves — with double envelopes, daylight, and a winter garden — to frame a public space and contribute it to the city.

• 20 River Terrace, The Solaire, New York City
• Environmental Services Building, Pierce County, Wash.
• Factor 10 House, Chicago
• Genzyme Center, Cambridge, Mass.,
• Greyston Bakery, Yonkers, NY
• Herman Miller, Zeeland, Mich.,
• Lake View Terrace Branch Library, Los Angeles
• The Plaza at PPL Center, Allentown, Pa.,
• City of White Rock Operations Centre, White Rock, British Columbia
• Woods Hole Research Center Gilman Ordway Campus, Woods Hole, Mass.
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