CARNEGIE Hall, one of the world’s most famous concert venues, is expanding, and in a green way. Two high-rise towers of 12 and 16 storeys will be added and existing facilities, upgraded, and they will all be done with energy-efficiency and environment-friendliness in mind.

“The renovations fully support Carnegie Hall’s non-profit mission of making great music accessible to as many people as possible and creating new inspirational spaces dedicated to music education, and at the same time, meet 21st Century sustainability standards,” says executive director Clive Gillinson.

The historic landmark in the heart of New York City is getting its green edge from a sophisticated building management system supplied by Siemens. The technology will integrate the heating, ventilation, air-conditioning, lighting and security systems to enable the Carnegie Hall team to better manage the energy demands.

“With the building management system, we will have the ability to monitor energy usage and understand what our peak loads are, thereby be able to configure the energy usage to be as efficient as possible,” says renovation project manager Richard Malenka. The various systems will be controlled from a central facility, and even remotely. Building managers can view all the data on a single monitor and so, can act quickly if a problem is detected – for example, if a fire alarm goes off or the air-conditioning system is not operating properly. These measures will make the 122-year-old cultural centre safer – and help to save energy.

As the building aims to receive the US Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) silver certification, the renovation team took pains to adhere to standards for sustainable construction methods and materials.

Demolition waste was sent for recycling and if it contained hazardous materials, properly disposed of. The wood flooring in the education wing is farmed madrone timber from the American north-west. The carpets do not contain materials which can release harmful gases and the furniture complies with certain sustainable criteria.

“Every single aspect goes through a sustainable design review. We have a third party to monitor the sustainable features,” adds Malenka.

When the renovations are done next year, the venerable hall will not only retain its distinction as a place for great performances but also one with a smaller carbon footprint.

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