One World Trade Center officially awarded LEED Gold certification

One World Trade Center has officially become one of the largest buildings in the world to receive LEED Gold certification, and is the tallest LEED certified building in the Western Hemisphere.

But, as Curbed New York reports, this certification did not come without its difficulties. When Hurricane Sandy went rumbling through New York City almost four years ago, nine fuel cells, purchased for $10.6 million and which were supposed to help heat and cool the building, were among the $32 billion of total damage the city faced. As hundreds of gallons of water flooded the One World Trade Center basement and irreparably damaged the fuel cells, it seemed as though the hopes for LEED Gold had been washed away.

But the 1,776-foot-tall Skidmore, Owings & Merrill-designed building is nothing if not resilient. Thanks to a bevy of sustainable features incorporated into the construction, design, and daily operation of the tower, it managed to achieve LEED Gold certification all the same.

One World Trade Center was built using over 40% post-industrial recycled content, uses a design that allows for over 90% of office areas to receive natural light, and has a glass façade with a special coating meant to block excessive heat from ultra-violet rays. The structure also captures 100 percent of its stormwater runoff on-site to maximize water efficiency.

One World Trade Center joins other skyscrapers such as Shanghai Tower (LEED Platinum), Taipei 101 (LEED Platinum), and Kingkey 100 Tower (LEED Gold) as some of the tallest LEED certified buildings in the world.

Mary Ann Lazarus, FAIA, LEED® AP BD+C, has accepted a two-year consulting position with the American Institute of Architects in Washington, DC. Her new position, which begins March 1, will focus on increasing the AIA's impact on sustainability across the profession. The St. Louis-based architect will continue consulting at HOK.

This hospital at Virginia's Fort Belvoir recently achieved LEED Gold.

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