Uploaded on 2015-05-13 by martinecarney

The Tower at PNC Plaza in Pittsburgh (US), nearing completion, is the tallest LEED platinum certified structure built to date. Mostly due to its energy and water efficient design. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tower_at_PNC_Plaza The design incorporates a double-skin facade that allows the building's HVAC system utilize air flow between the outer and inner facade skins in ways that vary depending on the buildings HVAC strategy. [1]: https://edxuploads.s3.amazonaws.com/14314836689597689.jpg The architect chose to use locally manufactured facade panels. Aluminum outer boxes and locally sourced red maple boxes for the inner facade. The localy sourced wood gives better insulating properties and a 'warmer' feeling interior. LEED platinum is the U.S. Green Building Council's highest certification. The fact that this is all they can claim in the buildings locally sourced literature is telling of the intense use of global materials in all modern construction projects in highly industrialized and globalized economies.