World’s tallest Passive House building opens
The House at Cornell Tech has now opened, marking a milestone in Passive House design in the US.
This residential tower serving students, faculty and staff is one of three cornerstone buildings composing Phase 1 of this revolutionary tech education and research campus on Roosevelt Island in New York City.
Rising to 270 feet with 352 units, The House, designed by Handel Architects, is set to become the world’s tallest Passive House certified building, establishing a new precedent in low-energy, sustainable high-rise design.
Cornell Tech brings together academia and industry to catalyze pioneering leaders and technologies for the digital age. The new campus also strives to drive the future of sustainable development, investing in high-performance planning, infrastructure and facilities for its new campus.
Passive House is a rigorous international building standard, which aims to reduce energy use by 60-80% while creating healthier and more comfortable living environments. In pursuing Passive House certification, The House stands as a beacon for the campus and its environmental mission. The resulting cost savings for heating and cooling also translate into lower housing costs for residents.
Buro Happold provided comprehensive services for The House, with Structural and MEP (mechanical, electrical, plumbing, fire protection) engineering, as well as lighting design and the Passive House feasibility study in the Concept Design phase. Close collaboration with regulatory agencies along with clients Cornell University, The Hudson Companies, Inc., and The Related Companies, L.P. proved crucial to this process and ultimately to realizing the leap in building performance central to the Passive House concept.
The House furthers Cornell Tech’s vision, providing a sustainable, healthy and affordable environment for living and learning, while also raising setting a global precedent, raising the bar for future sustainable development in New York and beyond.
