Cornell Tech, under construction on Roosevelt Island in New York City, recently announced details of its plan to achieve Net Zero energy efficiency for The Bloomberg Center.
Designed by the architecture firm Morphosis, The Bloomberg Center is the first academic building to be constructed on the Cornell Tech campus. The first phase of this development will open this September.
The campus plans include photovoltaic arrays, geothermal ground source heat pumps, an energy-efficient facade balancing the ratio between transparency and opaqueness to maximize building insulation and decrease energy demand, and smart building features that will monitor lighting and plug load use. The strategy to achieve a low energy building is through a stepped approach, prioritizing reduction in energy demand through load reductions and maximizing passive and energy efficient design, as well as using renewable energy to power the building systems.
There are 80 closed-loop geothermal wells, each 400 feet deep, that were drilled below the main campus public open space. The ground-source heat pumps will be used with an active chilled-beam system.
An acre-sized photovoltaic array tops The Bloomberg Center and neighboring The Bridge building. The building designs incorporate the panels as an integral architectural feature. The array on The Bloomberg Center also provides building shading.
Related Stories
Codes and Standards | Apr 26, 2018
New standard supports community resilience
ASTM International guidance supports cost-effective ways to withstand and recover from disasters.
Codes and Standards | Apr 25, 2018
Lessons learned from decades of Superfund cleanups guide contaminated land reuse
Sites repurposed for residential, commercial use, and solar energy generation.
Codes and Standards | Apr 24, 2018
Vibrant downtown core the key for urban multifamily development
Nighttime activity makes the difference.
Codes and Standards | Apr 19, 2018
ILFI launches new Zero Carbon Certification
Offers greater flexibility around project fuel types and offsetting renewables.
Codes and Standards | Apr 18, 2018
New Green Globe pilot program launched
Precursor to revised Green Globes Assessment Protocol for Commercial Buildings.
Codes and Standards | Apr 17, 2018
Contractor charged with fraud in winning $200 million in federal contracts
Accused of falsely claiming veteran- and minority-owned business status.
Codes and Standards | Apr 16, 2018
Wide variations in adoption of National Electric Code could jeopardize safety
An NFPA report found that code adoption is under heavier political scrutiny, leading to delays and decisions motivated by factors other than safety concerns.
Codes and Standards | Apr 12, 2018
Corruption in New York City construction industry is common
Scale of projects, number of players involved contributes to problem.
Codes and Standards | Apr 11, 2018
Urgent need for government to make communities, infrastructure more resilient
More than 350 people died from extreme weather events in 2017.
Codes and Standards | Apr 10, 2018
Boosting energy efficiency helps reduce health risks
Cleaner air results in fewer heart attacks, respiratory disease, and premature deaths.