American Water, a U.S. water and wastewater utility company, announced that it has earned a Project Merit award in the 2009 Environmental Business Journal (EBJ) Business Achievement Awards. American Water was recognized in the Water/Wastewater category for developing a sustainable water treatment solution at the Visionaire, a luxury residential condominium in New York City's Battery Park City. The 2009 EBJ awards will be presented in a ceremony at Environmental Industry Summit VIII, an annual three-day event, in Coronado, Calif., on March 3, 2010.
The Visionaire is the fifth in a series of green residential buildings with water recycling systems designed and operated by American Water’s Applied Water Management Group. Developed by the Albanese Organization and designed by architect Rafael Pelli, the Visionaire is a 33-story, 251-unit tower that is considered to be the greenest high-rise residential condominium in the United States, according to American Water. The Visionaire features a central water filtration system and advanced wastewater treatment system with a capacity to recycle 25,000 gpd for toilet flushing and air conditioning cooling systems, and a storm water collection system that captures and stores up to 12,000 gal to irrigate the building’s rooftop gardens and adjacent park. These water-saving measures along with energy and water efficient appliances allow the Visionaire to use 55% less potable water than a residential development of similar size.
“It is gratifying to see the Visionaire receive this recognition from the environmental community,” said Tim Davies, president of Applied Water Management. “We hope that our work in this area helps pave the way for more residential developments to implement water recycling systems to help achieve sustainability and ease the strain on water infrastructure and supplies.”
This is the second time American Water has been recognized by the EBJ awards. In 2008, the Solaire, which was the first of these five green residential buildings in Battery Park City, was awarded a Project Merit in the Water/Wastewater category.
The Environmental Business Journal Achievement Awards annually recognize companies and executives for environmental achievements seen as outperforming the market. American Water will be among the winners featured in the “Executive Review” issue in late January.
