Merchandise Mart: World's Biggest Green Building
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 03.24.08
For 78 years, Chicago's Merchandise Mart has been the world's largest commercial building; It is also now LEED-EB (existing building) Silver. According to Business Week, "The effort required overhauling decades-old practices and technology, from replacing most of the Mart's 4,000-plus windows and upgrading rusty motors deep in its subbasements to taking better care of dust mops. The reward: At 78 years of age, the Merchandise Mart is now the biggest green building in the world."
Business Week notes that "the return has been quick: Thanks to the upgrades, utility bills last year fell about 10%, and occupancy rates climbed to 96%, from 77% a decade ago. "We've had a wave of interest," says Christopher G. Kennedy, president of Merchandise Mart Properties and an heir to former building owner Joseph P. Kennedy. "One prospective tenant, who had passed us over, came back because they require a LEED space."
One strategy that we talk about often at TreeHugger is metering and measuring:
Many commercial buildings rely on "master" meters, which track consumption of water, electricity, and other utilities for the entire structure. Landlords then apportion utility charges based on the space each tenant occupies. Thus, two offices of similar size may have the same bill even if one leaves the AC, lights, and computers running all night while the other shuts off everything. The Mart was ahead of the curve: It already had individual meters that billed tenants for their actual consumption. "You can't make them change to high-efficiency bulbs, but the minute we start passing on the true costs," notes Bettin, "the savings start."
Other features we love: "a 1980s ice-storage cooling system installed by its previous owners, the Kennedy family, who bought the building in 1945 and sold it to Vornado Realty Trust in 1998. The system freezes tons of water overnight, even in winter months when the Mart's cooling needs are minimal. The ice is then brought up to 34 degrees and pumped into the air conditioning system during the day. The setup shifts power consumption to lower-price, off-peak periods."
This is a perfect example of why we say renovations can be greener than new construction- this was all done while tenants were in place, bit by bit, after careful analysis of what would be the most efficient and effective things to do. ::Business Week
This s a "massive" statement for businesses of the world. Greening up and growing the bottom dollar is the direction of what the world wants, both for marketing, PR, and making a difference in ways people didn't know they could.
Thanks for providing the space where more and more employees can be proud of where they work and their positive impact on the planet.
It is a wonderful 'jumping" place ... a place from where to leap forward with more green ideas.
Thank you for planting blossoming trees of ethical sustainability.
Warmly,
Cindy Katz 'Tree Angel'
CEO and Founder, Plant a Tree USA
www.plantatreeusa.com
Many of the older Chicago Loop buildings contiguous to the Chicago River, as this one is, are able to withdraw cold Lake Michigan water to pre-cool their HVAC exchange loops. Early in the summer, this can enable up to 50% energy savings, as the river-intruding lake water is especially cold at that time.
One more example of hold old buildings and buildings sites hold a green advantage.
Wow. I visited this building a few years ago. It's also the second largest building in the country square-footage-wise (second to the Pentagon). I hated the building back then because of what it represented, such an enormous commercialism waste, but I'd say this redeems itself.
Individual meters are a great way to curb energy usage in buildings and offices. Other businesses who want to measure their energy performance should check out OpenEco.org. It's an online community that helps businesses track their carbon footprint while comparing it with other businesses. People can also encourage each other and share helpful tips too.
It's great old buildings are getting an extended life.
I have seen too many old buildings in the U.S. abandoned or torn down instead of renovated/renewed like you see in most other parts of the world.
I have taught LEED courses in the Mart and am so proud to see that they snagged a LEED rating for themselves! (I had no idea they were so highly ranked due to their size!)
The USGBC's EB (Existing Buildings) Rating System is the least used but the one where the most impact can be had...we will always have more "old" construction that can be fine-tuned than "new" construction being built. I am so glad to see the Merchandise Mart as an EB Silver because I think it will really help other building owners to start thinking of what they can do, too!
Congrats to the Mart and to whoever encouraged them to do this and helped them through the EB process!
That submission package had to be monstrous. Good for Merchandise Mart for the commitment and drive.