Bank of America Tower receives Platinum LEED certified from USGBC

According to The Durst Organization, Bank of America and the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), the Bank of America Tower at One Bryant Park has achieved LEED Platinum certification. This marks one of the first times in U.S. history that a high-rise commercial office building has attained the highest LEED green building rating for environmental performance and sustainability. The Bank of America Tower, located on Sixth Ave. and 42nd St., was certified Platinum under the LEED Core & Shell designation, recognizing the entire design and construction team for its pioneering approach to providing occupants with cleaner air and more natural light, while conserving energy and other natural resources within the building. The 55-story, 2.1 million s/f Bank of America Tower, designed by Cook + Fox Architects, utilizes a range of high performance environmental strategies and technologies to enhance the health and productivity of its tenants, reduce waste, and promote environmental sustainability. A clear, high-performance glass curtain wall permits maximum sunlight and views to the outdoors while blocking unwanted heat. An advanced under-floor air delivery system allows for individual control of heating and cooling and provides clean filtered outside air. Efficient power comes from an on-site cogeneration plant, which works in concert with an ice-storage system to reduce the building's peak energy demands. The tower will also capture and re-use nearly all rainwater and sink water, saving millions of gallons of precious drinkable water each year. A high percentage of the building's materials come from recycled or local sources located within 500 miles of the city. The building's faceted crystal design opens up oblique views and lets more daylight reach the street, while capturing and refracting the changing angles of the sun. In contrast to this sleek exterior, the base of the building locks into the urban fabric with natural, earth-bound elements that relate to the human scale of the street. New public amenities include a mid-block pedestrian passage known as Anita's Way and an Urban Garden Room at the corner of Sixth Ave. and 43rd St., which acts as a front porch by providing public space and a sheltered extension of Bryant Park. In addition, the project includes the newly-opened Stephen Sondheim Theatre, which was originally built as Henry Miller's Theatre in 1918, and is now the first "green" theater on Broadway. "Through PlaNYC, our administration has taken major steps to ensure New York City is at the forefront of sustainable design, and part of that entails relying on the City's private sector to help lead the way," said mayor Michael Bloomberg. "The Bank of America Tower is a terrific addition to the City's sustainable landscape and will serve as an inspiration for others." Said Anne Finucane, global strategy and marketing officer, Bank of America, "At Bank of America, we recognize that business and environmental objectives go hand in hand. When we partnered with the Durst Organization, we committed to creating a structure that goes far beyond a typical corporate headquarter tower; we demonstrated how part of our $20 billion environmental business initiative to address climate change drives an opportunity effect that helps our economy and the environment. Our combined determination has produced a building that stands as a testament to advancements in environmental intelligence, sustainability and occupant health, and has created jobs and contributed to the vitality of the greater commercial real estate portfolio in the New York City. We believe this tower sets the new 'platinum' standard for environmental and corporate responsibility in the workplace." The Durst Organization co-president Douglas Durst said, "Thanks to Bank of America's commitment, as well as the creativity and innovation of our team, led by Cook + Fox Architects, Tishman Construction and Jaros Baum & Bolles, we proved it is possible to build in a manner that not only respects our surroundings but significantly improves them as well. Having seen the results of this process, I am even more firmly convinced that building to the highest LEED standards of environmental sustainability is the right and only approach." USGBC CEO and founding chair Rick Fedrizzi said, "The Bank of America Tower has achieved profound and worldwide impact, serving as the definitive blueprint for green high-rise construction. We at the USGBC, as well as architects, engineers and builders around the globe, have learned an enormous amount thanks to this project. A great many project teams set out with the platinum rating as their goal, but only the Durst/Bank of America/Cook+Fox team has attained it in the skyscraper category. The USGBC applauds every member of the project team for this crowning achievement." Fox + Cook partner Rick Cook said, "As an architectural firm committed to innovation and urban stewardship, it has been an absolute privilege to work with the Durst Organization, which has been a visionary leader in the green building movement, and Bank of America, which challenged us at every step to create the healthiest, most productive and satisfying work environment possible for their employees. Their unfailing commitment has made it possible to achieve LEED Platinum."