Green Engineering and Overview of Four Times Square - Essay Example

Four Times Square Building, New York Introduction Over the years, there has been a consistent debate and continued efforts to reduce the negative human impact on the world and its capacity to sustain life. Green engineering is one of the global efforts that seek to achieve a sustainable environment through science and technology (Anastas and Zimmerman 95). Notably, the 12 Principles of Green Engineering offers guidelines for engineers and designers to promote sustainability. The design, planning, and construction of the Four Times Square (Conde Nast Building) in New York depict green engineering and the use of the 12 Principles of Green Engineering. The Durst Organization developed and constructed the Four Times Square in New York between 19996 and 1999 (“Wired New York Meetup Group” 1). There are 48 stories in the building, which makes it the newest, and the greenest skyscraper in Manhattan (“U.S. Department of Energy” 1). The building was the first green skyscraper in U.S, which continues to track its energy performance with Energy Star (“The Durst Organization” 1). Overview of Four Times Square Notably, the building presents the application of two principles of Green Engineering. These include principle 1, which reckons that designers need to strive to ensure that all material and energy inputs and outputs are as inherently safe as possible (Anastas and Zimmerman 96). It also presents principle 3, which claims that separation and purification operations should adopt a design that would minimize energy consumption and materials use (Anastas and Zimmerman 96). The Four Times Square building entails 1.6 million square feet of environmentally friendly architectural design. Indeed, this was the first green skyscraper and the second tallest building in the U.S. It was also the first building to adopt the standards for energy efficiency, indoor ecology, sustainable materials, and responsible construction, operations, and maintenance procedures (“U.S. Department of Energy” 1). The designers, the Durst Organization confirmed that the building would require a high initial capital, which would guarantee a building that would require reduced operational costs, guarantee high yields, reduced environmental hazards, and create a safe working environment (“U.S. Department of Energy” 1). Upon completion, the Four Times Square reflected an environmentally responsible building where the designers examined the construction technology and all building systems for their impact on human health, environment sustainability, and energy reduction (Kaplan1). The evaluation made the building to be the first skyscraper to adopt state-of-the-art standards for energy conservation, indoor air quality, recycling systems, and the use of sustainable manufacturing processes (“Wired New York Meetup Group” 1). The Four Times Square has environmentally efficient gas-fired absorption chillers and a state of the art curtain wall with excellent shading and insulating performance (“Wired New York Meetup Group” 1). More so, the residents of the building are responsible of the building where the designers distributed a library of green information and environmental guidelines to the residents and the architects (Kaplan1). In addition, the tenants and their architects had substantial information on how to maximize the building as well as maintain the dream of the designers. Furthermore, the designers guaranteed lower operational costs upon the completion of the building. As such, we can establish that the Conde Nast Building adopts the principles of green engineering where it manifests quality and safe design as well as a promotion of the environmental, energy, and health factors. How the Four Times Square Works The Four Times Square adopts a low-energy design and renewable energy. The lighting at the building is very energy-efficient as it includes high performance fixtures with central controls. Notably, the designers used DOE-2 energy simulation modeling software to establish the most effective lighting systems for the buildings, which now uses LED signage, fiber optic, low-e glass curtains, and occupancy sensors to light the building (“U.S. Department of Energy” 2). In fact, the low-e glass curtains allows light in, reduces heat loss during winter, and bars solar heat and ultraviolet rays from the building (“U.S. Department of Energy” 2). Furthermore, the designers used non-toxic and biodegradable materials. They also prioritized resource conservation and adopted harvested wood and low-water-use equipment in the building (Kaplan1). Indeed, they used a structural steel hat truss at the top of the building and introduced the concrete structural element for purposes of reducing the amount of steel used (“U.S. Department of Energy” 2). Ultimately, the developers recycled most of the construction debris. Notably, the building has indoor air quality where filtered, fresh, and monitored air enters the building at .20 cfm per square foot and at 80' and 700' feet to evade street exhaust (“U.S. Department of Energy” 2). Indeed, permanent tubing monitors air at the tenant spaces periodically. Moreover, there is air-handling equipment at every floor to allow individualized control and purge capability. A dedicated exhaust shaft serves the purpose of venting smoking and equipment rooms where the cleaning materials and building maintenance materials are equally non-toxic (Kaplan1). The designer established an efficient waste management system where all contractors were accountable of recycling recyclable base building materials, packaging, and of the waste on site. Moreover, there were designated waste chutes and adequate space for storage as well as the trend to use electronic document transfer by the project team (Kaplan1). The equipment used in the building entailed variable-speed drives on pumps, fans, VAV systems, and motors, which enhanced equipment efficiency and minimized energy, use (“U.S. Department of Energy” 2). The building maximized energy efficiency by using the DOE-2 energy simulation modeling software (Kaplan1). Moreover, natural gas runs the central cooling plant in the building and uses direct digital controls while the absorption chillers and heaters use no CFCs or HCFCs (Kaplan1). The building also uses the building-integrated photovoltaic (PV) panel between rows of windows to produce fuel cell through a chemical reaction and photovoltaic power of about 15 kilowatts (kW), which supplements the building's electrical needs especially during the night (“U.S. Department of Energy” 2). Notably, the fuel cells are environmental friendly as they do not rely on combustion and only produce hot water and CO2 as by-products (Kaplan1). Moreover, the photovoltaic panels also assume the responsibility of a facade thus saving materials and cost (“U.S. Department of Energy” 2). The building has natural gas–powered absorption chillers/heaters fitted on the roof supply hot water and heat the building during the winter season (“U.S. Department of Energy” 2). How the Four Times Square is Green The Four Times Square in New York was the first and is the largest green skyscraper in U.S. It is clear that the building uses green engineering where it adopts the first and the third principles of green engineering. Moreover, the building seeks to achieve sustainability through science and technology as stipulated by green engineering. The Durst Organization who was the designers of the building strived to ensure that all material and energy inputs and outputs are as inherently nonhazardous (Anastas and Zimmerman 96). Indeed, the designers used non-toxic and biodegradable cleaning and building maintenance materials. They prioritized resource conservation and adopted harvested wood and low-water-use equipment (Kaplan 1). The building comprised of natural gas–powered absorption chillers/heaters, which do not use the hazardous ozone-depleting chlorofluoro-carbons (CFCs) (“U.S. Department of Energy” 2). Additionally, the fuel cells provide electric power through a chemical process that does not result to hazardous products. Indeed, the by-products in this case are only hot water and carbon dioxide. Additionally, the air in the building is free from any toxics as it enters the building at high elevations thus avoiding any street exhaust that may pollute it (“U.S. Department of Energy” 2). In addition, a dedicated exhaust shaft vents smoking and equipment rooms thus freeing them from hazardous elements. At the same time, the designers ensured that the separation and purification operations sought to minimize energy consumption and materials use. The building continues to track its energy performance with Energy Star (“The Durst Organization” 1) and adopts the standards for energy efficiency. It uses high performance fixtures with central controls to generate energy-efficiency. The use of the DOE-2 energy simulation modeling software by the designers established the most effective lighting systems for the building. Additionally, the use of the photovoltaic (PV) panel to produce photovoltaic power that supplements electrical power saves a lot of energy. Ultimately, the use of the natural gas–powered absorption chillers/heaters to supply hot water and heat the building during the winter season amounts to energy efficiency. Works Cited “The Durst Organization.” Four Times Square – Conde Nast Building. 2013. Web. 16 November 2013. < http://www.durst.org/properties/four-times-square> “U.S. Department of Energy.” 4 Times Square New York City. 2001. Web. 16 November 2013. “Wired New York Meetup Group.” 4 Times Square – The Conde Nast Building. 2013. Web. 16 November 2013. Anastas, Paul, and Julie B. Zimmerman. Through the12 Principles GREEN Engineering. 2003. 16 November 2013. Kaplan, Daniel. Four Times Square New York, NY. 2013. Web. 16 November 2013. Read More