Designed to set a new standard in high-performance buildings, for the office workers who occupy the tower and for a nation awakening to the modern imperative of sustainability, the Bank of America Tower at One Bryant Park is a 55-story, 2.2 million sf project that is the first commercial high-rise to achieve LEED Platinum certification. Drawing on concepts of biophilia, or people`s innate need for connection to the natural environment, the vision was to create the The building`s floor-to-ceiling glass curtain wall minimizes solar heat gain through low-e glass and heat-reflecting ceramic frit while simultaneously providing exquisite views. Waterless urinals, greywater recycling, and rainwater harvesting systems save millions of gallons of potable water and reduce the building`s water consumption by nearly 50%. With an under-floor air system and 95% filtration, fresh air delivered to offices can be individually controlled and is actually cleaner when it is exhausted from the building. Recognizing its impact in the heart of a dense metropolis, thermal ice-storage tanks in the building`s cellar produce ice at night, reducing the building`s peak demand on the city`s over-taxed electric grid. In addition, an onsite 4.6 megawatt cogeneration plant provides a clean, efficient power source for nearly 70% of the building`s annual energy requirements. One Bryant Park represents a shift in thinking about modern building design, achieving at scale many of the green building movement`s most transformative ideas for water and energy conservation, material efficiency, and indoor environmental quality. It has fundamentally transformed the market for large-scale commercial developments. In the city defined by the modern skyscraper, the tower also makes a highly visible statement on regeneration, urban stewardship, and global citizenship for the twenty-first century.
