Best of 2005 Awards

Nolen Greenhouses for Living Collections

Award of Merit: Systems and Technology

The standout features of the Nolen Greenhouses for Living Collections, a $25 million project for the New York Botanical Garden, inspired the Best of 2005 judges to create a new category recognizing its complex systems.

"It's the innovative technology that stands out," one judge said.

While the concept of combining the sun's light and glass to help grow plants is an ancient idea, the judges said that the Nolen facility provides an innovative twist, with various advanced and environmentally friendly technologies. Among the features are an evaporative pad and fan cooling system, a misting system, automatic shade and heat retention blankets, and an automatic drip-irrigation system.

But the most unique feature of the 43,000-sq.-ft. facility is its state-of-the-art operable roof, which allows for "hardening off" - the process of growing plants initially in a greenhouse and then gradually introducing them to variable outdoor conditions until they become hardy enough for the outdoors.

The facility can grow more than 200,000 plants for the Botanical Garden's exhibitions, plant collections, and research. It can support more than 18,000 plant species.

The greenhouse uses 4,000 panes of glass, more than 5.5 mi. of radiant heat piping, and more than 3 mi. of galvanized-steel radiant heat piping, which is mounted on exterior walls and roof trusses.

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The property sits on a strip of land between the Bronx River and Bronx River Parkway - a stretch that is not served by the public sewer system. Therefore the project team had to build a wastewater treatment system.

The areas adjacent to the site contained rock outcroppings, which presented good aesthetic opportunities but technical and financial challenges. Removal of rock was expensive because the team was asked to avoid blasting for the project.

The team also had to make the site's features appear to have been created naturally. The team managed to meet those goals by preserving as much natural rock as possible, carefully removing other rock to not leave rough edges, protecting existing trees and shrubs, and creating a natural stormwater retention area.

The team had four prime contractors due to New York State's Wicks law -New York-based Mitchell/Giurgola Architects; Andron Construction of Goldens Bridge, N.Y.; WDF/Greene of Mount Vernon, N.Y.; and Uptown Electric of New York.

The judges said the construction challenges combined with the design and technology lifted the entry out of the park and landscaping project category. "It's hydraulic, it's solar, it does a lot of different things," one judge said.

Key Players

Owner: N.Y.C. Department of Capital Projects; New York Botanical Garden

Architect: Mitchell | Giurgola Architects

Landscape Architect: Towers/Golde

General Contractor: Andron Construction

M-E-P Engineer: Joseph R. Loring & Associates

HVAC-Plumbing: WDF/Greene

Structural Engineer: Severud Associates

Electrical: Uptown Electric

Civil-Geotechnical Engineer: Langan Engineering & Environmental Services

Greenhouse Fabricator: Van Wingerden Greenhouse

Lighting Design: Kugler Tillotson Associates