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Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge

The Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge (JBWR), which is located in Queens and owned by the National Park Service, sought to incorporate the best in sustainable practices and features when updating its visitor center and main offices. It was determined that adaptive re-use of the existing 6,000 square foot structure, instead of complete demolition and construction of a new building, was both environmentally and financially responsible. A new administrative wing and lobby/conference area were added to the existing building, bringing the area to a total of 11,000 square feet.

Recommended measures for the project included:

• Ground source heat pumps
• Daylighting
• A building-integrated photovoltaic system
• High-performance glazing
• Natural ventilation
• An active solar water heater

• Use of recycled passive solar heating products in construction
• Use of rapidly renewable materials such as cork and bamboo flooring
• A recycling station for use by building occupants

Additional benefits from this project include:

• A 25 percent reduction in maintenance costs
• $1,800 annual savings in water/sewer costs
• Expected annual energy savings of 378 million Btu (valued at approximately $7,000)

The JBWR received State and federal cost-sharing incentives and technical assistance for energy modeling, materials analysis, and enhanced commissioning which helped the refuge to maximize the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) credits earned.