by Shane Henson — February 11, 2013—Xero Flor America (XFA) has been contracted to construct the second largest green roof in the United States atop the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, New York’s largest convention center.
Headquartered in Durham, North Carolina, XFA is the official and exclusive distributor in the United States of the Xero Flor Green Roof System from XeroFlor Green Solutions, which is based in Germany.
The Javits Center has embarked on a major renovation project that includes replacement of the building’s roof and curtain wall, upgrades to the mechanical and electrical systems that will reduce energy consumption by 26 percent, and interior reconfigurations that will enhance the visitor experience as well as operational efficiency. The green roof XFA is building will be 292,000 square feet, and is only smaller than the green roof atop Ford Motor Company’s River Rouge Plant, which was built 10 years ago, says XFA.
Given the size of the Javits Center green roof, the environmental benefits will be substantial, says XFA. For example, with New York City’s average annual rainfall of about 50 inches, the Javits green roof will prevent approximately 6.8 million gallons of runoff per year. The green roof will also conserve energy by moderating temperatures on the roof and lowering the temperature of the air being drawn into the rooftop heating, air conditioning and ventilation units during cooling season.
Through adding the green roof, the convention center’s owners also hope to be firmly on the path toward securing Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver status.
