303 East 33rd Street building achieves LEED-NC

International design and architecture firm Perkins Eastman announced that 303 East 33rd Street in Manhattan, NY, has achieved LEED 2.2 certification for New Construction.

The 165,000 sf 12-story residential building is the first green development to be LEED certified in the Murray Hill neighborhood of Manhattan.

With quality of life top of mind, the development team worked closely with the design team to deliver a building that is in keeping with the neighborhood's architectural diversity while also an example of a responsible, forward-thinking urban development.

Featuring a highly energy-efficient envelope that exceeds the thermal requirements of New York City code, the building appears as a series of single attached buildings that alternate in height. Large expanses of glass, terraces, and balconies further texture the building's facade, helping to bring in natural light throughout. A landscaped rooftop takes advantage of prime views of the city and provides outdoor gathering space for residents, landscaped with indigenous plants that require minimal potable water.

Using rapidly renewable materials and low-VOC finishes, Perkins Eastman created a contemporary interior space that engages the residents in a more sustainable lifestyle. Each unit is equipped with electrical sub-meters, allowing tenants to monitor their electrical use and manage their personal consumption. To discourage automobile use, the building purposely refrained from including a parking garage and instead chose to offer parking discounts in an adjacent venue for hybrid vehicles.

Prior to construction, environmental remediation of the entire site was performed. More than 63% of construction waste was diverted from landfill during construction due to the team's waste management program. BD+C

Samuel S. Unger, RA, MCR, SLCR, MBA, is the Americas Real Estate Leader for Ernst & Young, LLP, Atlanta. He also serves as president of the CoreNet Global Atlanta chapter. In addition to managing 6.8 million square feet of real estate in North and South America, his responsibilities include real estate strategy for area practices, management of external professional alliances, requirements definition, business case development and approval, real estate negotiation and lease development, and oversight of construction projects for the portfolio. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Harvard College, an MLA and MArch from the University of Pennsylvania, and an MBA from Temple University.

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