The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. (NYSE: PNC) announced plans to construct what it says will be the world’s greenest skyscraper.
Located adjacent to its Pittsburgh headquarters, the 40-story Tower at PNC Plaza is expected to cost $400 million dollars to construct and is scheduled for completion in 2015.
At approximately 800,000 square feet, it will be PNC’s largest building in Pittsburgh.
The Tower will feature a double glass facade to enhance energy efficiency by reducing cooling costs and allowing natural airflow to the building. Using advanced sensors and metering, a state-of-the-art, high efficiency heating and cooling system will deliver conditioned air to specific zones of the building, as needed.
The building will be oriented to take advantage of sunlight in workspaces, reducing the need for artificial light during the day. The design team is also exploring fuel cells, solar panels, geothermal systems and other alternative power generation sources to significantly reduce carbon emissions. Green roofs will collect rainwater and channel it for use in other parts of the structure, as well as reduce the heat gain associated with traditional rooftops.
PNC will own the building and occupy all of the office space, with tenants in the retail spaces at street level. The project is being designed by the Pittsburgh office of Gensler, the world’s largest architectural and design firm. Pittsburgh-based PJ Dick will serve as construction manager and U.K.-based Buro Happold will be the engineering firm. Paladino & Company of Seattle serves as the green building consultant.
Deconstruction of buildings on the site is expected to begin late in 2011, with construction scheduled for spring of 2012. They plan to donate re-usable materials to a local non-profit building supply warehouse, Construction Junction.
PNC plans to solicit community input on street level design and other aspects of the building in the coming months. A cultural survey of the site, including archeological excavation, will also be conducted.
Green Building is a Tradition for PNC
PNC has the most newly constructed LEED-certified buildings in the world.
It was a pioneer in green building, opening its first in 2000. At that time, the 650,000 square foot PNC Firstside Center was the largest LEED-certified building in the world.
In 2010, they opened Three PNC Plaza, one of the largest LEED-certified mixed use buildings in the US.
Its most recently completed green office building is in Washington DC, and is certified LEED Platinum. It is just blocks from the White House and serves as PNC’s regional headquarters.
"The Tower at PNC Plaza is an exclamation point on our investment in downtown Pittsburgh, and it reflects our commitment to community, competitiveness and innovation, as well as the comfort and productivity of our employees," says James Rohr, CEO. "When the Tower is complete, we will have invested more than $700 million in green buildings at the heart of the city."
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