“We strive to provide a thoughtful and healthy environment for our tenants at 1540 Broadway,” affirms Tyler Siegel, General Manager at Edge Fund Advisors, which owns the building’s office tower. “We take pride in improving occupant wellness and reducing our environmental impact.”
A major push for upgrades was New York City’s Local Law 97, requiring buildings 25,000 SF or larger to significantly improve energy efficiency and limit greenhouse gas emissions by 2024, with stricter requirements set for 2030.
“Local Law 97 forced the entire industry to analyze energy consumption on a more detailed level,” says Jason Clarke, Chief Engineer with CBRE, the building’s engineers. “Energy conservation measures we installed have significantly reduced our electrical consumption. Between 2019 and 2021, it dropped by 31 percent and it’s still down despite an increase in tenancy last year. Our gas consumption also dropped approximately 36 percent since 2019. We expect that trend to continue, especially with the combined heating and power system that, once operational, will generate energy onsite and utilize waste heat for both building comfort heating as well as additional energy production depending on season.”
In addition to the co-generation plant, 1540 Broadway earned Three Green Globes and a Distinction in Health & Wellness through:
- New direct expansion (DX) units on every floor for cooling
- Building management systems (BMS) and Nantum software that monitor occupancies and control building systems
- WaterSense plumbing fixtures
- Elevator modifications for higher efficiencies
- Occupancy and daylighting sensors and LED lighting for optimal use and efficiency
- Regularly scheduled professional pest management inspections and closed food waste storage to prevent pest access
- A comprehensive recycling program
- MERV 13 filters in offices and MERV 15 in the fitness center to boost air quality
High Priorities
The ability to verify the measures in place is important to tenants, and Edge Funds chose Green Globes certification because of its adaptability. The building’s retail portion is owned by another entity, and Green Globes was able to target its assessment to capture the performance and sustainability of the office tower. Transparency also became a clear benefit.
“It was helpful to see our approximate score in ‘real time’ for an idea of how we’re performing, and the Green Globes Assessor worked with our team to maximize efficiencies before the final report was issued,” Siegel recalls. “The GBI Project Manager was always available, and the assessment process was extremely user-friendly and simple to follow.”
Clarke recognized the value of documentation. “Going through the process highlighted the importance of documenting these items in detail and producing comprehensive plans. This allows transparency to current and future tenants and ownership,” he says. “The Green Globes process was a great learning experience for us. It’s always good to have a fresh set of eyes viewing our operations to inspire new ideas.”
“We plan to recertify in the future and hope to achieve Four Green Globes.”
In line with receiving the first Green Globes Distinction in Health & Wellness (a distinction the Green Building Initiative launched for both Existing Buildings and New Construction in 2022), a top priority was to ensure the safety and wellness of tenants. The team engaged maximum air dampers to increase fresh-air turnover in indoor spaces. Large windows optimize daylighting for occupants and allow views to the exterior. Water-bottle filling stations are available, dispensing water tested for quality.
Thrilled with their accomplishment, the team plans to continue its sustainability initiatives. “We are so excited to have received Three Green Globes,” Siegel says. “The final report provided recommendations on how we can improve our score, and we’re now looking into adding window films and conducting a water audit. We plan to recertify in the future and hope to achieve Four Green Globes.”
