In 1915, mechanical engineers Alfred L. Jaros, Jr. and Albert L. Baum, recent graduates of
Columbia University's engineering program, left their internships with a large consulting firm and founded Jaros and Baum. In 1932, Frederick Bolles joined them, bringing plumbing design to the firm. The company's longevity has allowed it to claim a number of engineering firsts, including what is believed to be the first sprinkler system for a high-rise building (
Willis Tower, opened as the Sears Tower in 1974) and the first high-speed elevators (original World Trade Center in New York City, opened 1973). In February 2022, the firm created the Deep Carbon Reduction Group, which helps building owners and operators navigate new policies and regulations for reducing carbon emissions in urban settings. JB&B’s work at 555 Greenwich Street in New York City includes a Nordic-inspired geothermal heating and cooling system that will use 40% less energy than an average large office building in the city. Completed in 2023, the 16-story office tower’s HVAC system employs geothermal wells, dedicated outdoor air system (DOAS) units, radiant heating and cooling, and a control system that ties it together. Heat from underground travels through water in pipes to the roof, where additional air source heat pumps extract heat from the air. The system can also run in the opposite direction to provide cooling. Designed and built in conjunction with
COOKFOX Architects and
AECOM Tishman for
Hines Interests Limited Partnership and Hudson Square Properties, the project is intended to meet New York City’s
Local Law 97 of 2019, passed as a part of the Climate Mobilization Act by the New York City Council in March 2019. The tower is fully electrified with no fossil fuel use on site for any purpose. Even though it uses electricity to heat the building, it will use 40% less electricity than comparable commercial properties. == Selected projects ==