High Performance Green Buildings
With the opening of the Comcast Center in 2008, Philadelphia can boast of having the tallest green office building in the nation. It also has the second highest amount of green roof space in the country, with 361,226 square feet on 42 public and private Philadelphia buildings. In 2003, the City built its first green building Since 2007, any City building construction and major renovation projects over 10,000 square feet must qualify for a LEED “Silver” rating. In 2003, the City built its first green building, the Police Forensic Science Center. The facility includes a highly efficient gas and electric hybrid HVAC system and the City’s first solar-electric energy system. In 2008, the Central Branch of the Philadelphia Free Library installed a green roof, making it the largest public building in Pennsylvania with green roof technology, and the Riverside Correctional Facility installed a solar-powered hot water heater that will help it save 20-25% on its annual fuel costs .
For new and major City renovation projects, MOS works with the Capital Program Office, Budget Office and other City Departments to encourage resource and energy efficient new construction and renovation.
High Performance Building Renovation Guide
The City's High Performance Building Renovation Guide (produced in 2004 in partnership with Steven Winter Associates) assists City staff in achieving building improvements that address energy conservation, storm water management, recycling, waste reduction and indoor air quality. The High Performance Renovation Guide focuses on typical City renovation projects while providing a framework for considering the renovation sequence, material selection, construction practices, energy intensity, operating implications and interrelatedness of building improvements that constitute high performance. The Guide helps improve the quality of City initiatives in the following areas: energy conservation, storm water management, recycling, waste reduction and indoor air quality. The Guide supports the City's work in newer fields such as climate protection, alternative energy sources, and high tech building systems and controls.