Midtown Manhattan office tower decarbonization roadmap
Developed a phased pathway from steam-dependent building systems to integrated, all-electric energy systems.
The challenge
The approximately 1.2-million-square-foot office tower, built in the early 1970s, relied on separate steam-heating and electric-cooling systems that often heated and rejected energy at the same time. Retaining the existing infrastructure would leave the property exposed to tightening LL97 New York City emissions requirements. With the prime Manhattan property nearly fully occupied, the roadmap needed to maintain building operations and minimize disruption throughout the transition. The strategy therefore aligned each phase of infrastructure upgrades with tenant turnover and equipment replacement schedules.
The system approach
URBS developed a full-building decarbonization roadmap that established the long-term system direction and phased transition away from steam. The roadmap treated heating, cooling, ventilation and heat recovery as one interconnected system, coordinating central infrastructure upgrades with improvements throughout the building. At the center of the strategy was an ambient-temperature water loop that captures and redistributes energy across the property. Heat recovered from cooling-intensive areas can meet heating demand elsewhere before additional energy is introduced, reducing demand on the central plant. The roadmap sequenced the conversion around planned capital work and equipment replacement cycles.