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Old 05-24-2011, 06:52 PM
 
Location: Greensburg, PA
1,104 posts, read 2,590,096 times
Reputation: 183

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Not only should they go for the greenest, but I think they should also go for the most high-tech and automated office building in the world. Of course, I'm sure the lighting/electrical and interior heating and cooling systems will be automated and energy efficient, but they could go a big step beyond and have automated and/or satellite operated building cleaning and management, down to sensor or voice-activated security and fire prevention systems and even elevators with voice activation capabilities. Dubai for instance is years beyond what most of the world is doing; for instance, they're building a skyscraper with full floor rotation and would operate on command using a voice-activated computer. We could set the stage for future projects in this country if we have the mindset and vision to do it.
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Old 05-24-2011, 06:55 PM
gg
 
Location: Pittsburgh
26,137 posts, read 25,954,579 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by neurodistortion View Post
Not only should they go for the greenest, but I think they should also go for the most high-tech and automated office building in the world. Of course, I'm sure the lighting/electrical and interior heating and cooling systems will be automated and energy efficient, but they could go a big step beyond and have automated and/or satellite operated building cleaning and management, down to sensor or voice-activated security and fire prevention systems and even elevators with voice activation capabilities. Dubai for instance is years beyond what most of the world is doing; for instance, they're building a skyscraper with full floor rotation and would operate on command using a voice-activated computer. We could set the stage for future projects in this country if we have the mindset and vision to do it.
Yeah but the facades. It is too funny to hang around the yinzers in the burgh. Come on, let PNC build something that will knock the world's socks off and let the silly facades go. Goodness!!!!!
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Old 05-24-2011, 07:05 PM
 
Location: About 10 miles north of Pittsburgh International
2,458 posts, read 4,201,750 times
Reputation: 2374
I did a litle Googleing, and found a picture of the hole the Steel Building sits in. Imagine the facades in question teetering on the edge of this hole for a year or so while the hole is dug and the foundation is built up to street level again.

(Found the pic here: Mountain View Elementary School | Comm, Joe - GOAL (http://www.glsd.k12.pa.us/75167051310515/blank/browse.asp?A=383&BMDRN=2000&BCOB=0&C=57575 - broken link) just to give credit where credit is due.)

And as far as existing buildings being the greenest, anybody care to do a quick calculation of the amount of resources it would require to stabilize those facades during construction, vs just knocking them down? My bet would be knocking them down would be more green...
Attached Thumbnails
PNC Tower Preserved Facades Sketch-underground_canal_tunnel.jpg  
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Old 05-24-2011, 07:19 PM
 
Location: Greensburg, PA
1,104 posts, read 2,590,096 times
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I'm all for preservation myself, but you also have to look at the aesthetics of the area. Of course, this is Pittsburgh, which has lots of historic buildings, but we're talking about the potential for a world-class skyscraper here and not an Aldi, which by the way is going in the location of a historic building which was unfortunately demolished on the South Side. That to me does not sound like progress. I could go to any Aldi in the area if I wanted to, but the experience will still be the same. I personally think the buildings should be moved or deconstructed and rebuilt as leaving them there while the building is erected would get in the way. It's not just about preservation, but it's also about restoring a sense of warmth in that area. Glass is nice, but too much of it will make that area feel cold and uninspiring, just like PPG Place. That plaza is not very inviting, it feels cold and makes you feel like you're being trapped. You already have the community-knit nature and warmth of Market Square nearby, although I think the expanse of concrete doesn't seem aesthetically friendly IMO. I sense the PNC tower as an extension of the Market Square area, I think it's just natural to want to extend that sense of warmth and neighborly touch. You could make it as green and corporate looking as you want, but it won't mean anything to the general public if it looks just like any other skyscraper in the city. This has the potential to stand out from any other tower if done right.
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Old 05-24-2011, 07:21 PM
 
Location: Pittsburgh area
9,912 posts, read 24,643,570 times
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Finally a good point! Yes the resources needed to hold the facades up during construction would have to be weighed vs not using them. I've seen plenty of saved facades before (has been common in Washington DC) with MUCH tougher construction sites (not entire block width like this), so I'm guessing it's possible. But with the decision already made to put a new building there, it's not a guarantee that reusing them would be greener if it takes a significant amount of energy/materials to hold them there.

You can bet while going for the greenest this kind of detail will be studied, though. PNC's renderings so far sure don't show anything interesting on that street level side, but then they said they were going to solicit opinions on this, so nothing is 100% set for there yet.
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Old 05-24-2011, 07:24 PM
 
Location: Greensburg, PA
1,104 posts, read 2,590,096 times
Reputation: 183
Quote:
Originally Posted by ditchdigger View Post
I did a litle Googleing, and found a picture of the hole the Steel Building sits in. Imagine the facades in question teetering on the edge of this hole for a year or so while the hole is dug and the foundation is built up to street level again.

(Found the pic here: Mountain View Elementary School | Comm, Joe - GOAL (http://www.glsd.k12.pa.us/75167051310515/blank/browse.asp?A=383&BMDRN=2000&BCOB=0&C=57575 - broken link) just to give credit where credit is due.)

And as far as existing buildings being the greenest, anybody care to do a quick calculation of the amount of resources it would require to stabilize those facades during construction, vs just knocking them down? My bet would be knocking them down would be more green...
What are those huge holes in the wall seen where the "big dig" is located? Did the T tunnels exist at that time? I don't believe they run underneath the footprint of the tower though.
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Old 05-24-2011, 07:35 PM
gg
 
Location: Pittsburgh
26,137 posts, read 25,954,579 times
Reputation: 17378
Quote:
Originally Posted by ditchdigger View Post
I did a litle Googleing, and found a picture of the hole the Steel Building sits in. Imagine the facades in question teetering on the edge of this hole for a year or so while the hole is dug and the foundation is built up to street level again.

(Found the pic here: Mountain View Elementary School | Comm, Joe - GOAL (http://www.glsd.k12.pa.us/75167051310515/blank/browse.asp?A=383&BMDRN=2000&BCOB=0&C=57575 - broken link) just to give credit where credit is due.)

And as far as existing buildings being the greenest, anybody care to do a quick calculation of the amount of resources it would require to stabilize those facades during construction, vs just knocking them down? My bet would be knocking them down would be more green...
Glad there is someone out there that knows a tiny bit about putting up a structure. It is funny people thinking, hey they want to put up the greenest building in the WORLD, but what about the facades? Surely they can add that to the equation. I mean, the greenest building in the world isn't a big deal at all. Anyone can do that. Can they save the old buildings underneath? I mean it is only 40 stories and it needs to be... well the greenest building ever built. Sure, the facades are no problem.
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Old 05-24-2011, 07:44 PM
 
Location: Metro - Pittsburgh
87 posts, read 140,583 times
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PNC Tower according to Jim Rohr is to be around 40 stories and is to be the 4th largest building in the city. Memory states that Pittsburgh agreed whi;e competing for USS - USX Tower we agreed no building could surpass its height!!! I hope that is not the case But... My message for Jim Rohr is thank you, thank you for being a premiere corporate citizen of Pittsburgh. Thank you for making our city your home and please consider increasing the NEW PNC TOWER to 46 stories making it the third tallest skyscraper in Pittsburgh. Allow your world headquarters to be an ICONIC Tower for today and the foreseeable future. Once again THANK YOU JIM ROHR Pittsburgh Loves You
PGHPA611
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Old 05-24-2011, 07:45 PM
 
Location: Kittanning
4,692 posts, read 9,030,554 times
Reputation: 3668
Here is the 9th greenest skyscraper in the world, according to Consumerenergyreport.com (check out the facades at the base):



http://www.consumerenergyreport.com/...-in-the-world/
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Old 05-24-2011, 07:50 PM
 
20,273 posts, read 33,001,421 times
Reputation: 2910
Quote:
Originally Posted by ditchdigger View Post
As a pratical consideration, the hole that this building goes in will probably be comparable. Imagine the trouble it would be to keep just the front walls of the old buildings from collapsing into the new basement during construction...
Won't they have to do the same thing with the buildings to the east (the Warner Centre), and for that matter the roads?

Every time I have seen a large building going in, during excavation they have gradually extended down what look like thick beam walls, which I assume support the structures adjacent to the hole. Here are a couple pictures of this process in action:



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