Earlier this month, President Obama unveiled the Better Building Initiative (BBI), a public-private partnership that will invest $4 billion toward making federal and commercial office buildings more energy-efficient.
400 Market Street, an 11-story Philadelphia office tower built in 1972, is already serving as a model for how owners of hundreds of older, mid- and high-rise buildings throughout the Northeast and Midwest can reap the benefits of the program.
The 200,000 sf building, home to Philadelphia’s high-powered KWY-AM radio station, was recently renovated with a new HVAC system and a state-of-the-art window retrofitting system called RENOVATE by Berkowitz. According to energy modeling studies conducted with the U.S. Department of Energy’s most sophisticated energy modeling software, a typical 10- to 15-story office building like 400 Market Street could realize significant energy savings.
Developed by J.E. Berkowitz, a glass fabricator based in Pedricktown, N.J., the system works by converting existing single-pane windows into energy-saving, triple-glazed insulating glass units (IGUs) at a cost that is up to 50 percent less than ripping out and replacing old windows with new ones.
The window renovation system also has the benefit of being much faster and less disruptive to install. Berkowitz said the retrofit project for 400 Market Street took about 50 working days, which is two to three times faster than it would have been for a traditional “rip-out-and-replace” project for a similarly sized building. In addition, because the retrofitting was completed indoors, tenants were able to remain in their offices throughout the project. That is not possible with traditional window retrofitting solutions.
The BBI, which was first announced in January 2011, was developed to increase the energy efficiency in commercial buildings by 20 percent by 2020. Under the BBI, 60 private companies, municipal leaders and labor organizers have agreed on a plan to invest $2 billion of private capital to improve commercial, industrial, and manufacturing property. President Obama authorized the government to move forward with another $2 billion in energy-efficiency upgrades to federal buildings, which will be paid for by the long-term savings that the upgrades will provide. BD+C
Related Stories
Market Data | Dec 15, 2015
AIA: Architecture Billings Index hits another bump
Business conditions show continued strength in South and West regions.
Architects | Dec 14, 2015
New LEGO line lets builders construct iconic skylines
New York City, Berlin, and Venice are featured in the Architecture Skyline Collection.
Architects | Dec 14, 2015
Date named for announcement of 2016 Laureate of the Pritzker Architecture Prize
The Laureate will be named the morning of January 13.
Architects | Dec 9, 2015
Architecture firms Cooper Carry and The Johnson Studio merge
The combination is expected to bolster each firm’s hospitality-related services.
Industry Research | Dec 8, 2015
AEC leaders say the 'talent wars' are heating up: BD+C exclusive survey
A new survey from Building Design+Construction shows that U.S. architecture, engineering, and construction firms are being stymied by the shortage of experienced design and construction professionals and project managers.
Architects | Dec 4, 2015
Denise Scott Brown and Robert Venturi win 2016 AIA Gold Medal Award
The husband and wife architect team—founders of VSBA Architects and Planners—are the award's first joint winners.
Architects | Dec 3, 2015
LMN Architects wins 2016 AIA Architecture Firm Award
The firm is known for projects like Vancouver Convention Centre West and the University of Washington’s Foster School of Business.
Greenbuild Report | Dec 1, 2015
Data centers turn to alternative power sources, new heat controls and UPS systems
Data centers account for 2% of the nation’s electricity consumption and about 30% of the power used annually by the economy’s information and communications technology sector, according to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory.
Greenbuild Report | Nov 30, 2015
10 megatrends shaping the future of green building
Increased competition among green building rating systems, the rise of net-zero buildings, and a sharper focus on existing structures are among the trends that will drive sustainability through 2020, according to author and green building expert Jerry Yudelson.
Contractors | Nov 24, 2015
FMI survey: Millennials in construction get a bad rap, tend to be loyal, hard-working
While the stigma exists that Millennials are entitled, disloyal, and lazy, it appears that this is not true, according to a new report from FMI.