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The Tower at PNC Plaza
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Olivia Eckard
Lighting | Electrical
Building Statistics Part I
General Building Data
Building Name | The Tower at PNC Plaza
Location & Site | 314 Fifth Avenue | Pittsburgh Pennsylvania
Building Occupent Name | The Tower at PNC Plaza
Occupancy or Fuction Types | Office Complex [B]
Size | 800,000 SF
Number of Stories | 33 stories above grade | 37 total levels
Dates of Construction | Spring 2012 - October 2015
Overal Project Cost | $240 million
Project Delievery Method | CM at Risk
Project Team
Owner | The PNC Financial Service Group, Inc.
Architect | Gensler
Sustainablity Consultant | Paladino & Company
MEP & Structural Engineer | Buro Happold
Landscape Architect | LaQuatra Bonci Associates
Civil Engineer | Civil & Environmental Consultants
Lighting Designer | the studioi company
General Contractor | PJ Dick
Acoustical Consultant | Pin Drop Acoustics
Facade Consultant | Heintges
Architecture
The Tower at PNC Plaza was designed with strategies in mind to drive performance to a higher level. Community Builder was the first strategy, which includes the prominent location in Pittsburgh so that it becomes an iconic landmark. The tower’s size also provided the chance to enhance the experience anyone would have at downtown Pittsburgh by engaging and activating street views anywhere, such as in Figure 1. This then allowed the architecture to reflect and respect the city content that already existed but having a newer modern feel to the overall presence at the same time.
Another major strategy was for the tower to be a energy responder. The architecture reflects this by its double skin façade and solar chimney. Integrated into the tower are passive and active systems, such as the pop out windows that make the tower’s architecture stand out even more. Thirdly, the strategy of having the tower as a workplace innovator. By having a ventilated and operable façade the occupants have a more comfortable and controlled environment. The abundance of work areas, such as the neighborhoods, seen in Figure 3, allows for healthier and productive environments, plus space for general interaction. With these three strategies accomplished the tower’s architecture is capable of being effective, efficient, and engaging to the occupants and visitors with its sleek design.
Figure 3 | Neightbohood | Courtesy of PNC
Building Enclosure
Facade/Exterior Wall Materials | The high rise’s façade is composed of 4 wall types. Mainly on the facade is a double skin that has an outer and inner layer, which is made up of laminated low-iron glass, vertical laminated glass slots, and painted aluminum mullions for the outer layer. Sliding doors, wood curtainwall mullions, and horizontal slots for air intake make up the inner layer of the double skin façade.
Skinny double wall is a part of the façade as well, only accounting for 15% of the total skin area. However, this exterior wall type reduces peak load by 50% in the areas that it covers and saves 210 chilled beams. The other two types of exterior walls are the cable wall and the atrium inner wall.
Windows | The double skin façade consists of “poppers” that are mechanically operated and allow for natural ventilation when the building is breathing. See Sustainable Features for more information.
Roofing | On the top of the tower is the solar chimney, which will decrease the overall energy consumption by enabling natural ventilation. The roof is also housing the cooling tower and a building maintenance unit for window washing. Roofing material is mostly TPO (thermoplastic polyolefin) roofing which will allow for flexible walkways for maintenance checks. A vegetated roof covering was also installed on part of roof that will house vegetation in trays located on pedestals and raised panels.
Figure 1 | Street View of Lobby | Courtesy of PNC
Figure 2 | Lobby | Courtesy of PNC
Major National Codes
IBC 2009 | NEC 2008 | IFC 2009 | IMC 2009 | IPC 2009 | IECC 2009
Zoning
Pittsburgh Zoning Code | Golden Triangle Sub-district a [GT-A]
Maximum floor area ratio shall be 13 - 910.01.F.2 Site Development Standards
Historical Requirements
N/A
Sustainability Features
The Tower at PNC Plaza is being named the greenest skyscraper in the world by exceeding the requirements of LEED Platinum®. Ground-breaking technology and design strategies, that were discussed earlier, define how PNC was able to go beyond the normal with ambitious goals. Implementing these goals, technologies that were used in the tower are a solar chimney, optimally oriented building facades, operable windows, occupancy-based heating and cooling systems, rain water collection, water reuse, and a few other state of the art energy reduction technologies that were asked to not be discussed fully by the owner.
One large system that allows the tower to breathe is the active façade. This active façade is able to breathe when the day is considered net zero, the large slots or poppers on the façade open automatically and occupants then can feel fresh air coming into the building. Another feature of the tower’s design was how it was shaped. The west façade is shielding from the sun, while the south façade is oriented to the sun for best day-lighting. Shaping the top of the tower to over a 25 degree angle optimized for solar collection. By doing this last step, it created a cooling effect by drawing warm air out of the tower. Then air fills the cavity through the automated slots and open dampers in the inner skin, allowing for the office to be in 100% passive mode with fresh air.
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