Cornell University’s applied sciences program, Cornell Tech, is building a dorm that could change the way buildings all over the country are put together.
They are planning a 250-foot high-rise to be built on Roosevelt Island in New York to house students moving to live on the newly built campus. It will house 520 people, cost $115 million, and be complete in 2017.
But the building’s real claim to fame is its energy efficient set up.
The design team is planning an air-tight building, complete with mid-sized windows to remove extra padding needed for the edges. Fresh air will be vented inside instead, which will reduce both heating and cooling costs in the extremes of winter and summer.
This building will use between 60% and 70% less energy than similar high-rises. And its low energy use will keep up to 882 tons of CO2 per year out of the air. While this is a very small amount compared to many more emissions-heavy industries, the potential for the design to spread is huge.
Take for instance the introduction of the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standards. In the early 2000’s, these building standards were not widely accepted in the construction industry. Now their Silver level certification is required for all new buildings in New York city, and their certifications are accepted practices all over the world.
Cornell Tech hopes that their energy-saving, eco-friendly design will catch on and spread as the clean energy movement continues.
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