Want to attend a private tour of Laura’s current show in Princeton, NJ at NRG Energy? Join Laura Loving and curator Heather Christensen Smith Tuesday, January 21st at 10am for a private tour of Laura’s work on display at NRG. If you are interested in attending, please email lauraloving@lauraloving.com for additional details.
Laura’s “I Love New York Collection” is on display at NRG Energy in Princeton, NJ through January 2020.
NRG’s Princeton Headquarters has been awarded LEED Platinum Certification, the highest level of distinction awarded by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). The building and its strategic energy solutions are a testament to the reliable, real-world sustainable energy solutions that are possible today.
In the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy in 2012, NRG sought to design and build a new space that could withstand the effects of a super storm and support critical 24/7 business operations. Having outgrown our former office, NRG seized the opportunity to develop a new facility that incorporates today’s cutting-edge resources & technologies that characterize and bring to life NRG’s vision to create a sustainable energy future by safely providing reliable, cleaner power that enhances people’s lives and delivers value to our stakeholders.
Diverse energy mix
NRG achieved LEED Platinum through a diverse and efficient mix of energy, water and sustainable site solutions. The building integrates multiple energy sources and a comprehensive energy management system monitors and manages the energy—keeping the building, and our employees, safely running.
Solar Photovoltaic: 617 kW of solar photovoltaic on our rooftop and parking lot generates about 30 percent of the building’s energy demand annually, while providing shade for employees and visitors. And on sunny days, we regularly see our solar generation exceed 100% of our demand, causing the meter to spin backward.
Solar Thermal: A solar thermal unit on the roof uses the sun’s energy to heat water for the building’s bathroom, kitchen and fitness center facilities.
On-site Energy Generation & Storage: Our 250 kW Combined Heat and Power (CHP) plant is capable of efficiently generating most of the building’s annual electricity demand while also reusing the thermal energy produced to meet HVAC needs. We use our CHP when the opportunity for reliability, demand response or cost warrant. Our 500 kW lithium-ion battery energy storage system further supports demand response and solar energy peak smoothing. Additionally, two back-up generators – 900 kW diesel and 400 kW natural gas – are ready to kick in if we lose power from the grid or to take advantage of PJM’s demand response program.
Rainwater Capture: Collected from many points around the building, our rainwater capture system feeds rainwater into four 15,000-gallon cisterns where the water is used for the non-potable needs of flushing toilets. This helps save approximately 150,000 gallons of local water annually.
Daylight Harvesting: All the building’s light fixtures connect to sensors that gauge the presence of natural light. On sunny days, lights near the windows are either off or dimmer than those closer to the building’s interior. This feature allows us to better manage our energy consumption and save money.
Green Roof: The building’s green roof helps with rainwater management, air quality and building insulation in summer and winter. That means less energy used by the HVAC system.
Empowered
The LEED rating system, developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), is the foremost program for buildings, homes and communities that are designed, constructed, maintained and operated for improved environmental and human health performance.