Schindler Elevator Corporation, one of the leading global manufacturers of elevators, escalators and moving walks, is proud to announce that AIA New Jersey has awarded the company a 2012 Merit Award for Excellence in Architecture for the energy efficient and sustainable renovations at its North American headquarters in 2011.
From a field of 88 submissions, 11 projects were selected for recognition. The Schindler renovation was the only interior project selected for an award in 2012.
The AIA New Jersey Annual Design Awards Program brings public and professional recognition to architectural projects which exhibit design excellence. AIA member architects are invited to submit their work for review by the distinguished Design Awards Jury. Projects must either be located in New Jersey or designed by an AIA New Jersey architect.
This is the third honor the Schindler Morristown renovation has received. Previously, it was recognized with a 2012 Alternate Energy First Place Award for the solar installation project from BOMA-NJ and it also received the America’s Best Building of the Year (ABBY) Award from Buildings magazine.
The Award Winning Project
The renovation of Schindler’s 43 year-old headquarters is a result of its commitment to environmental stewardship and its multi-million dollar investment in sustainable technologies. Schindler purchased the building in 2009, and since the building hadn’t been updated in over 12 years, a major renovation project was necessary to improve its overall efficiency.
Aside from utilizing Schindler’s own highly efficient technologies such as the 9300® AE escalator with ECOLINE and the Schindler 3300 machine room less elevator, the Schindler headquarters upgrade was designed by Joseph Tattoni, AIA, of ikon.5 architects with energy efficiency and productivity in mind. Energy efficient innovations featured in the renovation include:
- A brand new 21,000 square foot solar array, completed in March 2011, comprised of 1,236 photovoltaic solar panels. Each panel generates 230 watts of renewable energy, and the system is expected to provide approximately 11 percent of the building’s total annual power consumption, enough to power more than 90 houses for one month.
- 475 energy-efficient, insulating dual-pane windows featuring low-E coatings that help control heat transfer and significantly reduce the strain on the heating and cooling systems. Overall, the new windows represent a 6.7 percent reduction in electricity consumption and a 39.2 percent reduction in natural gas consumption. This savings means a 17.5 percent overall reduction in energy costs for the building as well a significant step toward energy independence.
- New internal and external lighting, including parking lot and roadway lighting, featuring energy-efficient T5 and LED fixtures running on day-light sensors. These sensors automatically adjust the brightness of the light fixtures based on natural light entering the building through the new low-e windows, reducing electricity consumption with no loss of illumination.
- Fifteen thousand square feet of “cradle-to-cradle�? carpet tiles that are essentially waste-free. Old tiles can be recycled piece-by-piece as they age and turned back into the raw material used to make new carpets, reducing the waste that ends up in landfills. The new ceilings are also made with “cradle-to-cradle�? recycled content.
- Dual flush, metered plumbing fixtures in the newly renovated restrooms to reduce water consumption and a cafeteria renovation including new ozone-friendly refrigerator models that are free of CFC (chlorofluorocarbon) gases.
A dedicated website and a lobby kiosk provide real-time data on the energy savings, carbon reduction and environmental impact of the building’s new solar roof. The website serves as an educational tool to help visitors better understand the environmental benefits of the renewable energy source as well as the impact weather conditions have on the amount of power produced by the solar roof versus the utility grid.
“Sustainability has always been a driving force behind everything we do for our customers,�? says Jakob Zueger, CEO, Schindler Americas. “As building owners ourselves, we understand that in order to adopt a truly sustainable approach, we need to show our commitment to that sustainable vision right here in our own facilities.�?