Battery Park City officials issue RFPs for green buildings.

The Hugh L. Carey Battery Park City Authority (BPCA) announced that it has released Requests for Proposals for two more environmentally advanced "green" high rise apartment buildings.

The two new "green" high-rise buildings, which will be built in accordance with the BPCA's pioneering "Green Guidelines," will be located on Sites 18B and 19B overlooking the new "Tear Drop Park" in Battery Park City's North Neighborhood. They will join the first high-rise "green" apartment building in the United States now under development by the Albanese Development Corporation on nearby Site 18A.

The new buildings will combine environmentally advanced engineering techniques with excellence in design to create a "green" building featuring:

* On site storage, filtering and recycling of waste water to supply flush water for toilets and other maintenance functions.

* Photo-voltaic panels for generating electric power to provide at least five percent of base building electric load; space allocated for the future use of fuel cells.

* The collection of storm water from the roof in storage tanks, and plumbing fixtures that use 10 percent less water than required by the Energy Policy Act of 1992; the RFP's also specify a separate 5,000 gallon storage tank for storm water that can be used to irrigate the trees, shrubs and grass in Tear Drop Park.

* Energy strategies that are 35 percent more efficient that current NYS codes, including dimmable and motion-detector controlled lighting, low-E glazing, high efficiency insulation, 30 percent more natural light, and energy-efficient appliances.

* Enclosed storage for bicycles;

* The recycling of a minimum 60 percent of construction waste material;

* High use of construction materials. with recycled content.

* Efficient HVAC systems with high amounts of filtered outdoor air, with 85 percent of particulates removed.

James Gill, chairman of the Battery Park City Authority, said, "The release of these two new RFP's indicates that our "green" building program, which is the first of its kind, is moving ahead with commendable speed. The current oil crisis makes it more important than ever that we use environmentally-advanced technology to conserve energy. These RFP's are part of. a continuing program at Battery Park City to actively encourage the construction of "green" buildings. Inspired by Governor Pataki, government is taking the lead in demonstrating to private industry and the world that "green" is a better way to go. This is government at its best."

Timothy S. Carey, president and CEO of the Battery Park City Authority, said: "The RFP's for Sites 18B and 19B are two more milestones in the extraordinary growth. We're seeing at Battery Park City. They prove that our "green" construction guidelines, combined with an ongoing commitment to maintain our parks and open spaces without use of toxic chemicals or pesticides, is not only the ecologically responsible way to develop a community, it's economically attractive as well. Residents and developers alike will benefit from the healthier, more energy-efficient way of life, our "green" building program represents."

The two "green" buildings, which can be built out to 260,000 sq. ft. (18B) and 330,000 sq. ft. (19B) respectively, will be 230 ft. in height. They will have footprints of 16,071 sq. ft. (18B) and 21,398 sq. ft. (19B) and be located on the west side of North End Avenue between Murray and Warren Streets. Developers of these sites are expected to apply for tax credits under Governor Pataki's first-in-the-nation "green" building tax credit program.

The Battery Park City Authority is a public benefit corporation that was created by the New York State Legislature in 1968 to develop a 92-acre landfill at the southwestern tip of Manhattan. Parcels of land are leased to private developers who build in accordance with BPCA guidelines.

Battery Park City is bordered by Pier A on the south and includes Stuyvesant High School on the north.