NYC – Syska Hennessy Group announced that their project, the Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art, in New York City was recently awarded LEED® Platinum certification, established by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) and verified by the Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI).
Additionally, it was marked with the honor of being the first academic building in New York City to achieve LEED Platinum status.
The school which is known for its prominent programs in architecture, art and engineering, as well as providing
full tuition scholarships to all admitted students, wanted the new space to help position its academic programs
for the future; to renew its urban campus; and to revitalize the community centered on 41 Cooper Square,
establishing a sustainable financial infrastructure for the institution. The result is a new, nine-story, 175,000 sq ft building, on Third Avenue which facilitates teaching and learning with greater comfort, through its energy
efficient and environmentally friendly design. The structure houses space for academic laboratories, studios,
classrooms, science, research, and public spaces.
As the engineer of record, Syska Hennessy provided MEP, sustainable, fire protection, audio visual, IT,
security and cogeneration design services that support the bold and iconic architecture of Pritzker-Prize-
winning architect, Thomas Mayne of Morphosis Architecture. A collaborative approach was crucial because
of the complexity of the building and its need to be multi-functional within limited space which had stringent
requirements. According to Sergiu Pelau, PE, LEED AP and Syska Hennessy project manager, “New high
performance campus architecture could be realized only because Cooper Union, its architects, engineers and
builders designed and constructed the project as an integrated team.”
To support Cooper Union’s rigorous requirement for a sustainable and energy efficient building, innovative
engineering applications were designed by Syska Hennessy, including:
• Radiant heating and cooling ceiling panels, as well as radiant heating and cooling floors on the lower
levels, modulate the building temperature and increase occupant comfort
• A double-wall, operable façade made of a perforated exterior metal skin, which controls the level of
daylight and glare, and acts a barrier for the heat gain entering the building
• Airside heat recovery, variable air volume (VAV) systems with integrated controls for demand-controlled
ventilation, and high efficiency, VAV fume hoods
• A green roof and a storm water collection system, which manages storm run-off and pollutants, ensures
that no potable water is used for irrigation and provides water for toilet fixtures on the lower floors.
• Building Management System (BMS) controls all mechanical equipment and lighting systems thorough
integrated controls and occupancy sensors
• A Measurement and Verification System, which automatically tracks the major utilities (gas, water,
electricity) throughout the course of the year and compares the energy savings with the energy model
developed for the building.
In addition to the sustainable MEP design, Syska Hennessy’s Technology Group provided audio visual design,security and IT services. In coordination with Cooper Union and architect, they developed a standardized “smart classroom” infrastructure, and state-of-the-art electronic access and IP video systems to control multiple access
points for the building.
“With each new LEED-certified building, we get one step closer to USGBC’s vision of a sustainable built
environment within a generation,” said Rick Fedrizzi, President, and CEO & Founding Chair, of the U.S.
Green Building Council. “As the newest member of the LEED family of green buildings, the Cooper Union for
the Advancement of Science & Art is an important addition to the growing strength of the green building
movement.”