new york skyscrapers adapt to climate change
Last Updated : GMT 09:07:40
Egypt Today, egypt today
Egypt Today, egypt today
Last Updated : GMT 09:07:40
Egypt Today, egypt today

With ever-more luxury towers

New York skyscrapers adapt to climate change

Egypt Today, egypt today

Egypt Today, egypt today New York skyscrapers adapt to climate change

In a New York skyline crowded with skyscrapers the American Copper Buildings
New York - Arab Today

With a skyline crowded with ever-more luxury towers, the construction of another Manhattan skyscraper wouldn't normally be remarkable.

But the American Copper Buildings going up on the East River -- a complex of two towers with 764 apartments, panoramic views and a huge entrance hall with a doorman -- is different.

Planned just after deadly Hurricane Sandy ravaged New York in October 2012 -- sounding another alarm about the mounting effects of climate change -- it was designed with new threats in mind, reflecting how the real estate world is evolving to account for global warming, in contrast to President Donald Trump's moves to roll back environmental protection. 

The huge storm killed more than 40 people in New York, paralyzing the US financial capital for days.

JDS, the company developing the American Copper Buildings, bought the land for the project around the same time.

"The whole thing was a lake, we could have toured the site in a canoe," said Simon Koster, a principal at the company.

"We knew something like that would happen again," he added. "So we said, 'How can we make sure that if we lived here, we will not be facing that scenario?' So we let the designers loose."

- Tools to survive -

One of the main innovations was to ensure residents have access to electricity as long as possible in the event of an outage in the city.

Instead of planning an opulent penthouse on the top floor, the architects reserved space for big natural-gas generators designed to keep key equipment functioning if the power fails.

Although the machines are situated "in the most valuable real estate of this building," Koster said, "it makes all the other units all the more valuable."

"We are going to have more of these events, it's just being strategic and smart about how you prepare for them," architect Gregg Pasquarelli said.

"If we lose power, if you can go up and down in the elevator and your refrigerator works and you have one outlet available that you charge your phone on, you can probably survive in New York for a week," he added.

Every kitchen has two electrical outlets -- one reserved for refrigerators -- connected to a back-up circuit fed by the generators. That means smartphones can be charged during a breakdown.

Traditionally relegated to the basement, the heating, ventilation and large electrical equipment have been installed on the first floor instead, more than 20 feet (seven meters) above the street to minimize the risk of flooding.

The main entrance hall is large and austere, with steel pillars and floor tiling designed for outside use.

Wood-paneled walls warm the atmosphere -- but the open side panels can dry easily with no damage in the event of flooding.

The building's cheapest studios will be available for rent starting from $3,000 a month, and include the luxury perks of access to a swimming pool and huge terrace with views of the Empire State Building in addition to the more prosaic bonus of flood resistance.

- Embracing resilience -

New York is embracing resilient architecture more than most cities in the country because its exorbitantly priced real estate drives up the financial stakes, says Alex Wilson, president of the Vermont-based Resilient Design Institute, which specializes in such issues.

Besides electricity, architects are also coming up with ways of providing drinking water -- with accessible faucets for everyone now obligatory on lower floors -- as well as maintaining reasonable temperatures.

In the event of a summer power outage, "a lot of condominiums are heavily glazed and would become inhabitable," Wilson said.

The city is identifying the most vulnerable existing buildings for adaptation.

However, the obstacles for reconstructing older structures are greater than integrating flood resistance during the construction of new projects such as the Copper Buildings -- and so are the costs -- Wilson said.

Politics may also get in the way. The Trump administration plans to slash the Environmental Protection Agency's budget, which may affect the collection of data to assess weak infrastructure.

"If the government stops collecting the data on flooding vulnerabilities, heat waves, then it's going to be harder for the design and development communities to incorporate changes in their design," Wilson said.

Still, he's optimistic the government's rejection of science about the effects of climate change will have only a temporary effect.

"The private sector is well aware of this, the insurance industry is increasingly aware of this and these industries will continue to drive progress in resilience."

Source: AFP

egypttoday
egypttoday

Name *

E-mail *

Comment Title*

Comment *

: Characters Left

Mandatory *

Terms of use

Publishing Terms: Not to offend the author, or to persons or sanctities or attacking religions or divine self. And stay away from sectarian and racial incitement and insults.

I agree with the Terms of Use

Security Code*

new york skyscrapers adapt to climate change new york skyscrapers adapt to climate change



GMT 09:51 2016 Tuesday ,29 March

Back to drawing board for new father Murray

GMT 09:17 2017 Monday ,13 February

RAK police seek help to locate missing girl

GMT 21:52 2011 Monday ,08 August

Leverkusen\'s Giefer hospitalised

GMT 23:05 2017 Wednesday ,25 January

Millions travel for China’s Lunar New Year festival

GMT 23:06 2017 Tuesday ,24 January

Pakistan military tests nuclear-capable missile

GMT 11:34 2017 Tuesday ,14 February

Artist makes NY fashion week debut on a bus

GMT 14:35 2018 Monday ,22 January

Azza Fahmy Jewellery announces UK store launch

GMT 07:41 2014 Wednesday ,19 March

Nail brand The Lacquer Lab launches

GMT 15:19 2011 Tuesday ,02 August

Orwellian Barton forced to train alone by Newcastle

GMT 12:25 2016 Wednesday ,14 December

Evaluation of Participating Companies Goes in Full Swing

GMT 13:37 2017 Monday ,25 December

Abducted Yemenis kept in chains in Houthi jails

GMT 20:05 2011 Wednesday ,20 July

Maid repatriated after 3-year ordeal

GMT 01:09 2012 Wednesday ,15 February

Elegant Patch Sofa

GMT 09:45 2016 Friday ,25 November

In French missionary retirement home

GMT 06:06 2011 Monday ,12 December

Homemade Pet treats maker

GMT 04:41 2017 Monday ,09 January

Emirates Youth Council holds first meeting of 2017

GMT 08:09 2014 Thursday ,05 June

Opel outlines growth plan until 2022

GMT 11:27 2017 Thursday ,21 December

Dollar exchange stable at Egypt's major banks

GMT 08:48 2017 Sunday ,29 October

Spain seizes control of 'independent' Catalonia

GMT 17:27 2017 Monday ,13 November

EU's Mogherini urges 'no external interference'

GMT 07:29 2017 Tuesday ,19 December

Helmy el-Namnam hails Sharjah Ruler's support

GMT 13:49 2017 Wednesday ,29 November

ARIES (March21st-April20th)
 
 Egypt Today Facebook,egypt today facebook  Egypt Today Twitter,egypt today twitter Egypt Today Rss,egypt today rss  Egypt Today Youtube,egypt today youtube  Egypt Today Youtube,egypt today youtube

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2021 ©

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2021 ©

egypttoday egypttoday egypttoday egypttoday
egypttoday egypttoday egypttoday
egypttoday
بناية النخيل - رأس النبع _ خلف السفارة الفرنسية _بيروت - لبنان
egypttoday, Egypttoday, Egypttoday