Author: Adam Hinge, P.E., Member ASHRAE

The Solaire: New York, NY

For the 700 residents of the Solaire, New York high-rise living is providing a green culture that has set new standards with New York building agencies.

Conceptually, the statement “getting energy performance data should be easy” is true. Virtually every building has electric, gas and other fuel revenue meters coming into the building, and summing whole building energy use for a year should not be rocket science.

What Makes Buildings High Performing

Since 2008, High Performing Buildings magazine has publicized vital details about buildings that have performed well.

The Proof Is Performance

The road to high performing buildings is paved with high expectations — but, ultimately, it is measured performance that shows how energy efficient a building really is.

Where’s the Carbon Footprint?

While counting energy (e.g., kWhs, therms) consumed on site may tell us how efficiently a building is running, it doesn’t tell us anything about the atmospheric carbon emissions that result from its operation.