Efficiency Improvements Refresh NY's Famous Train Station 

A $25 million, multi-year project brought Grand Central Terminal's heating and cooling systems up to the highest standards for energy efficiency and building comfort. Though NYPA and the Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA) have together implemented more than 130 energy projects, saving an aggregated 145,000 megawatt hours of electricity per year, the Grand Central project was the largest. 

Problem
One of New York's most dramatic and iconic buildings, Grand Central Terminal was burdened with outdated, inefficient heating, cooling, and air-handling systems.

Process
NYPA worked closely with the MTA's building engineers to evaluate the current systems and to design improvements that would have the most positive outcomes both financially and in terms of energy use.

Implementation
The engineering and installation was planned and executed over three years, so that building use and comfort would be maximized. Improvements included: 

• The installation of cooling towers to improve air cooling efficiency
• Temperature controls and compressed air and steam distribution systems
• Air handling upgrades
• New chillers to enhance the terminal’s original cooling system
• Sub-meters to provide a better understanding of the energy usage throughout the facility

Results
The upgrades have reduced energy costs at Grand Central Station by $2.5 million a year. Their greenhouse gas emission impact was the equivalent of removing roughly 2,140 cars from the road. And the more than 750,000 people who pass through Grand Central daily are benefiting from improved air quality and better climate control.