A BEACON OF NYC’S GREEN FUTURE
From the moment it opens to the public in 2009, the SOLAR 2 Green Energy, Arts and Education Center will become a landmark and an important symbol of New York City’s growing commitment to energy independence and environmental sustainability.
SOLAR 2 is recognized and supported as a key initiative in Mayor Bloomberg’s PlaNYC 2030. A ‘net-zero’ energy use facility, SOLAR 2 will generate more clean energy than it consumes and will be New York City’s first carbon-neutral building, using solar power and advanced mechanical systems to prevent the production and emission of carbon dioxide. Slated to replace our current temporary facility in Stuyvesant Cove Park, SOLAR 2 will set the standard for building performance in New York City while becoming a hub for environmental activity both regionally and nationally.
SOLAR 2 is designed to achieve PLATINUM LEED* certification. Some of the features that will make this building special include:
- Recycled and renewable materials will be used in the building structure and interior furnishings.
- A roof with integrated photovoltaic panels will utilize the energy of the sun to generate even more electrical power than the building will require.
- Geothermal wells will keep SOLAR 2 warm during the winter months using a technology that conducts heat from the Earth’s interior.
- Green screens – exterior walls that provide a trellis-like structure for vegetation — will supply natural shading and filtered sunlight.
- A living green roof will provide many benefits, including: reducing heating and cooling loads on the building; filtering carbon dioxide and other pollutants out of the air; combatting the urban heat effect, which makes cities measurably hotter than surrounding areas; and reducing stormwater runoff, helping to alleviate the load on New York City’s wastewater management system and thereby preventing the flow of raw sewage into our natural waterways.
- The building’s efficient use of daylight and natural ventilation will save energy and money.
- Rainwater collection will provide all non-potable water, conserving the municipal water supply.
SOLAR 2 will significantly expand Solar One’s educational, cultural and advocacy programming, enabling us to engage a greater number of New Yorkers.
SOLAR 2 has been designed to showcase its green features through cutaways and transparent walls so that visitors can experience and visualize an ecologically sound built environment.
Extensive indoor and outdoor classroom spaces will provide interactive learning environments for visitors of all ages.
The permanent Living Wetland Installation and the East River Estuary Exhibit will accentuate our unique location on the East River in Stuyvesant Cove Park.
The Green Theater and outdoor performance areas will all operate on PV solar power.
A model Eco-Apartment will inform renters and owners alike how all households can have a positive impact on the environment.
An Eco-Cafe with indoor and outdoor seating will feature a green menu and gift shop.
SOLAR 2 will serve as an important resource for all New Yorkers and visitors from near and far as the city evolves to a more efficient, greener future. As New York City’s Green Energy, Arts and Education Center, SOLAR 2’s ambition and breadth of programs will announce to the world that New York City is serious about sustainability and will stand as a sterling example of innovative urban potential to cities everywhere.
SOLAR 2 is being designed by Kiss + Cathcart Architects, a leading “green” architecture firm with assistance from engineers at Ove Arup and Partners, the Community Environmental Center, The Dome Tech Group, Turner Construction and exhibit consultants Main Street Design. Input into the use and design of SOLAR 2 has come from Solar One staff, Community Environmental Center, NYSERDA, environmental organizations the local community and numerous other designers, architects and engineers.
*The LEED system was designed by the US Green Building Council as a voluntary, national standard for high-performance, sustainable buildings that maximize sustainable development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection, and indoor environmental quality. For more information on LEED certification, click here.
