LEED Green Power for Comcast Center

Developed by Liberty Property Trust and designed by Robert A.M. Stern Architects, the Comcast Center at 1 Pennsylvania Place, Philadelphia, is set to be the tallest LEED-certified green building in the US. As well as purchasing renewable energy credits (RECs) to offset the center’s electricity load over two years, making it eligible for the Green Power Credit, the features and efforts employed that will help it gain LEED certification are:

• Tall windows for natural light

• Internally managed accent evening lighting scheme which can change colors

• Vegetative Roof

• Erosion Control

• Storm Water Management System

• 120-foot-high Winter Garden that regulates building temperature

• High performance glass curtain wall

• Waterless urinals that save 1.2 million gallons of water a year

• Water-saving fixtures that save 48 million glasses of potable drinking water a year

• Storm water capture

• 77% of construction waste was recycled

• Used materials with high levels of recycled content

• Locally sourced and manufactured materials

• 80% of wood products were FSC certified.

Robert Stern also selected low-E coding and lightly tinted glass to cover Comcast Center to make provision for greater floor heights and office space, sufficient daylight and better quality of air and air-flow systems.

PERSONALLY SPEAKING

Another great piece of architecture whose owners and designers were dedicated to sustainability for the entire process. Skyscrapers have become a typical feature of the skyline of modern cities, but they don’t have to be damaging to the environment. The Comcast Center is a great example of this. ~ Matt

Matt Kiszka is the LEED and Greenbuilding initiatives project manager for Renewable Choice