World Trade Center Going for LEED Gold

The rebuilding of the World Trade Center is in many ways a memorial to those who lost their lives in the 2001 September 11 attacks and it is a tribute that these buildings will also be built to the highest green building standards. N.Y. Governor George Pataki announced that the Freedom Tower, World Trade Center Office Towers 2, 3, and 4, as well as the World Trade Center Memorial and Memorial Museum will all be designed to achieve the U.S. Green Building Council’s (USGBC) LEED Gold certification requirements.

This groundbreaking announcement was made five years after the devastating attacks and includes an entire package of energy and environmental measures that will be incorporated into the design of the World Trade Center redevelopment. Plans for the Freedom Tower and other facilities at the World Trade Center site will feature state-of-the-art energy technologies to better protect environmental resources, utilize renewable energy sources, and maximize energy efficiency.

These buildings join over half a billion square feet of construction projects already involved with the LEED program, including World Trade Center 7, which was certified as LEED Gold in March 2006. These facilities will also be built to a design standard that is 20 percent more efficient than the New York Energy Conservation Construction Code.

"The decision to achieve LEED Gold is a fitting tribute to the importance of the reconstruction of Ground Zero. Using LEED sends a clear message that our buildings must be safe, healthy places for us to live and work," said Rick Fedrizzi, President, CEO & Founding Chair, U.S. Green Building Council. "New York is to be commended for its leadership; the World Trade Center buildings will stand as a symbol of New York’s courage and commitment to a healthy and sustainable future."

Governor Pataki also announced an agreement with Silverstein Properties that calls for the Freedom Tower and each of the World Trade Center Office Towers to utilize cutting edge fuel cell technology to increase efficiency and provide secure clean on-site power generation. These fuel cell installations, totaling 4.8 MW of power generation, will together constitute one of the largest fuel cell installations in the world.

"The redevelopment will be a global example of green building design and a constant reminder of our commitment to break the cycle of dependence on foreign energy," said the Governor. "By moving forward with state-of-the-art design and guidelines, New York will once again show the world our ingenuity, innovation and commitment to building a stronger, brighter future for all."

The creation of a "green" World Trade Center site builds on the progress in Battery Park City, the neighborhood closest to the site and one of the most environmentally responsible neighborhoods in the country. Battery Park City is home to The Solaire, the world’s first green residential high rise and LEED Gold building, and Goldman Sachs is constructing a new office tower that will be designed to earn LEED Gold certification.

"LEED certification for the rebuilding of the World Trade Center complex demonstrates the resiliency of the United States," Fedrizzi continued. "Not only is our nation restoring the areas devastated by the terrorist attacks, but we are also doing so in a way that highlights our commitment to-and belief in-the future."

Author:(USGBC)