Sustainability and LEED
The Moynihan Train Hall project supports New York State’s ambitious climate targets and serves as a pioneering sustainability precedent for future large-scale civic and transit-oriented development projects.
Moynihan Train Hall achieved the U.S. Green Building Council’s rigorous Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver rating and is the first building worldwide to successfully qualify for certification under the new LEED for Transit (Building Design + Construction) rating system.
An “adaptive reuse” project, the Train Hall project provided a unique environmental opportunity to improve energy efficiency and operations within an existing, landmarked building. The Train Hall and related uses preserve the historic stone-clad James A. Farley Building and utilize its embodied carbon with soaring new skylights which bring abundant sunlight into the 92’ high public concourse and energy-efficient mechanical systems that filter the air to provide a safe, clean environment. Some features include:
- Efficient LED fixtures and state-of-the-art lighting systems.
- All-new mechanical systems and advanced controls designed to promote energy efficiency.
- Low-flow plumbing fixtures and advanced water metering.
- An upgraded building envelope, with double-pane low-E windows, a new insulated roof and high-performance skylight glazing systems.
- The main concourse space is heated and cooled with a radiant, multi-zone heating and cooling system built into the floor slab. To conserve thermal energy, the radiant slab system only tempers the space where the visitors and passengers circulate—thereby saving energy by not conditioning the voids where thermal comfort is not needed.
- The building’s utility and HVAC systems are monitored through an advanced building management system and the building received stringent enhanced commissioning to ensure optimal functioning.
These strategies and others enhance the building’s performance to conserve resources and save on utility costs. In addition to leveraging the strengths of the historic building—including its thick envelope and copious natural light—the energy-efficient lighting program is designed to highlight the most notable historic elements, including the exposed trusses and restored façade. The project also included upgrades to protect the track areas to bolster resiliency in the face of a changing climate.
By vastly improving the rail travel experience at the Penn Station complex, Moynihan Train Hall encourages New Yorkers and travelers from across the region to use public transportation rather than cars. New York State consistently ranks lowest in carbon emissions per capita, which is widely attributed to its large share of public transit use. As the busiest transit hub in the country, this pivotal expansion and enhancement of the facility has an outsized impact on ensuring continued progress to a more sustainable future for New York and the entire Northeast Region.