The 760,000 square-foot Jacob K. Javits Center is not just the busiest convention center in the United States, it is also home to the second largest green roof in the country. The 6.75 acre green roof was created as part of a five-year renovation project focused on upgrading the building’s critical infrastructure and making it more sustainable. With the addition of the green roof, installation of a new façade, flooring, mechanical and other sustainability systems, the Javits Center has reduced its energy consumption by 26%, saving millions of dollars in annual energy costs.
The building received a LEED Silver certification and is on track to meeting the goal of exceeding New York State’s mandate of reducing energy and water consumption by 20% by the year 2020. The building has become a model of sustainability and now serves as a sanctuary to area wildlife. On the green roof, researchers have identified 26 bird species, five bat species, 11 orders of arthropods and 300,000 honeybees.
Photo courtesy the Javits Center
On September 20th, Untapped Cities is taking you behind the scenes to see how the green roof is maintained, meet in house staff and learn how management balances sustainability initiatives while maintaining a $2 billion economic impact operation. Guests will also get to see the Javits Center’s three bee hives – which produced more than 250 ounces of honey last year during their first harvest. The honey was used to create a new salad dressing offered inside the convention center. One special guest who correctly answers a trivia question on the tour will receive a jar of Jacob’s Honey, the Javits Center’s honey!
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Photo courtesy the Javits Center
Photo courtesy the Javits Center
Next, check out The Top 10 Secrets of the Jacob K. Javits Center in NYC
