The Infinity Dimension

 

Cost and Payback Analysis: 

 

Environmental responsibility was not the civic priority it is today when the Garden began a capital campaign to fund the project ten years ago. New York City stepped forward to support the initiative, and the project became a model for civic structures when it was selected as pilot project for New York City's High Performance Green Buildings Initiative.

Through the New York City Office of Sustainable Design and Construction, the project received grants from the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) that funded energy efficiency testing, energy modeling, geothermal testing, and photovoltaic systems.

Financing Mechanisms

-Grant: Public agency

Cost Data
Cost data in U.S. dollars as of date of completion.

-Total project cost (land excluded): $12,000,000

 

Process and Results: 

Predesign

The Queens Botanical Garden was committed to a comprehensive greening initiative from the start.

 

The predesign process involved community members representing different cultures who collectively promoted environmental stewardship. The design team involved children and adults from the community in design workshops.

 

Design

Preprogramming during design development reduced the enclosed, conditioned area of the building by one-third. Strategies included the elimination of a glass-walled atrium that the Garden had originally requested, and the creation of a large canopy over the entrance forecourt to form a naturally conditioned, outdoor gathering space.

 

Construction

The implementation of integrated water systems was complicated by existing laws that mandate the separation of construction trades.

Close supervision was important to maintain best practices and comply with LEED guidelines.

Operations/Maintenance
Interpretive touchscreens display information about the building and grounds, including real-time energy data. The information on the touchscreens and signage has been translated into four languages.

 

Post-Occupancy

A grant-funded monitoring project will track the air temperature, plant surface temperature, relative humidity, soil moisture, and soil temperature on the auditorium's green roof. The data will be provided to researchers and displayed on in-house interpretive touchscreens, which are available to all visitors. Additional data collection, including water sampling and video monitoring, may be added in the future.

 

 

Rating System(s) Results: 

Rating System: 

U.S. Green Building Council LEED-NC, v.2/v.2.1

 

Rating Date: 

2008

 

Score or Rating Result: 

Platinum (52 points)