'Green' buildings sprouting up all around Hudson

Originally appeared in the Jersey Journal on Thursday, March 01, 2007

By DORINE BETHEA

Not only is the Goldman Sachs building at 30 Hudson St. in Jersey City the tallest in the state. It is also distinguished by its design and use of wood products and energy-saving measures that help protect and sustain the environment.

That helps make the financial giant a leader in building construction and in corporate citizenship. The building, which overlooks the Hudson River, is the only one in Hudson County that has earned certification as a "green building" through the national, non-profit Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Program (LEED), according to the U.S. Green Building Council in Washington, D.C., which administers the program.

"We believe a healthy environment is necessary for the well-being of society," said Anthony Cammarata, managing director at Goldman Sachs. "Whether it is part of our operation or our core business, our environmental initiatives represent our commitment to positively impact the environment."

They're not alone. Other Hudson County projects taking a "green" approach:

St. Joseph's School for the Blind in Jersey City, an LEED-registered project, which means the paperwork for certification has yet to be submitted;

The Schroeder Lofts building that's nearing completion in the Hamilton Park neighborhood of Jersey City;

The J. Owen Grundy pier at Exchange Place, which is being rebuilt with non-corrosive materials that won't leach into the water;

Jersey City's planned West District police station and Rescue 1 Firehouse on Communipaw Avenue that will feature high-efficiency windows, highly reflective roofs covered with recycled rubber shingles, and plumbing that saves water, and

The Garden Street Lofts going up at 14th and Garden streets in Hoboken.

Just last year, the New Jersey Meadowlands Commission adopted regulations to promote construction and building management that are friendly to the environment.

The agency recently amended its land use regulations to promote "environmentally friendly construction and building management" that supports sustainable growth in the Meadowlands district, Jeff Fucci, NJMC communications assistant.

The LEED program uses several categories to evaluate a building's performance - including energy use, water efficiency, indoor environmental quality and materials and resources - and then awards certification points.

The Goldman Sachs building meets 27 LEED points, Cammarata said, faring well in indoor environmental quality, energy and water efficiency and construction.

The building also has a storm water retention system that is saving roughly 2 million gallons of water a year.

Goldman Sachs' commitment has garnered much praise.

"They have gone out of their way to find that intersection of setting a good example on the environment while staying on budget and running a very profitable business," Liza Murphy of the Rainforest Alliance said.