NJMC Center for Environmental and Scientific Education

More people are using New Jersey Meadowlands Commission parks and facilities while the Commission is using less electricity to power its buildings. The positive developments are a result of the Commission’s increased eco-tourism efforts and energy efficiency initiatives.

More than 60,000 people visited NJMC facilities, including DeKorte Park and the Meadowlands Environment Center, in 2009 – a 20 percent spike over 2008. Over the same time frame, the NJMC used nearly 20 percent less electricity to power its administration building.

The Commission achieved a 17-percent energy savings at its administration building in 2009 thanks to several energy-efficient initiatives. These included the installation of motion-sensors that turn off lights in rooms and hallways when no movement is detected after a period of time, the replacement of traditional incandescent and fluorescent lights with more energy-efficient models, and an upgrade of the building’s heating and ventilation system.

The Commission is also projecting a 33 percent cost savings on stationery in 2010 while helping the environment. The NJMC is switching to a less expensive paper stock that includes 60 percent recycled content.

The new stationery is also certified by the Forest Stewardship Council, which ensures that forestry is practiced in an environmentally responsible and socially beneficial manner.

To read more about how the NJMC has increased energy efficiency, check out the press release here.

The Meadowlands Environmental Research Institute’s (MERI) new Municipal Map provides information previously found in the earlier municipal and parcel mapping applications as well as new and improved features all in one easy to use interface.

The purpose of this application is to provide Meadowlands District municipalities with access to maps and records on properties and infrastructure for managing municipal assets, planning for improvements and supporting emergency management operations.

Click here to access the interactive Municipal Map. This map can be used to determine valuable information for individual properties.

Solar Panels on the roof of the NJMC's Science Center

The Fall 2009 issue of the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs’ Construction Code Communicator, Volume 21, Number 2, clarified the method by which construction application fees are calculated for Solar Photovoltaic (PV) Systems.

When completing the NJMC’s Construction Project Review application for PV system projects within the District, the project type should be designated as an alteration to an existing building. When determining the plan review fee for the PV systems, the panels themselves should not be listed. The only amounts that should be included in the cost of work are the material and labor for mounting the PV system. Neither electrical material nor labor is included in cost of work for fee calculations.

To download the NJMC’s Construction Project Review application, please click here.

Additionally, a Zoning Certificate application must be submitted to the NJMC. Please click here to download that application. When completing the Zoning Certificate application, the box indicating “Other” should be checked off, and the minimum Zoning Certificate application fee of $100 should be submitted.

A 45,000 square foot LA Fitness Center sports club is under construction at 450 Harmon Meadow Boulevard, within the mixed-use Harmon Meadow development in Secaucus.

The Secaucus LA Fitness Center is located at the intersection of Harmon Meadow Boulevard and Park Plaza Drive, adjacent to a 1,000-space parking garage.

The new Sports Club plans to include full court basketball, a three-lane lap pool, a spa and locker rooms, as well as individual aerobic and group exercise instruction and stationary bikes. According to Hartz Mountain Industries, the owner of the development, trained instructors will lead more than 60 classes per week covering every level and degree of intensity from yoga to fast-paced aerobics.

LA Fitness was founded in 1984 and currently operates over 280 clubs in 17 states and Canada. The new Secaucus LA Fitness Center will be New Jersey’s eighth and the first to be located in the Meadowlands District. The building was previously a Loews Movie Theater and has been extensively renovated, including the addition of a 3,500 square foot mezzanine for cardiovascular exercise equipment.

Emanuel Stern, President and Chief Operating Officer of Hartz Mountain, stated that “The addition of LA Fitness’ top-quality state of the art Sports Club creates another major amenity for our existing office tenants and surrounding communities and we are confident that the facility will attract more corporations to lease office space in Harmon Meadow with such great amenities and ample free parking.”

The NJMC recently released an occupancy certification for a new 1,542 square foot Kentucky Fried Chicken located at Plaza Center in Secaucus, NJ.

According to their website, the “KFC Corporation, based in Louisville, Kentucky, is the world’s most popular chicken restaurant chain” and “more than 12 million customers are served at KFC restaurants in 109 countries and territories around the world. KFC operates more than 5,200 restaurants in the United States and more than 15,000 units around the world.”

The Secaucus establishment is anticipated to open within the next few weeks.

Genzyme Biosurgey is one of the world’s leading biotechnology companies. The company’s products and services are focused on rare inherited disorders, kidney disease, orthopaedics, cancer, transplant and immune disease, and diagnostic testing. Their Meadowlands District facility located in Ridgefield, NJ employs over 150 people and manufactures biomaterials, including Synvisc®, an FDA-approved therapy which is used in over 2.2 million knees for the treatment of osteoarthritis pain.

Their new 49,699 square foot building addition recently obtained an occupancy certification from the New Jersey Meadowlands Commission. This building addition is an example of sustainable design in the Meadowlands. The facility is LEED registered and expects to obtain at least LEED Silver certification for the new construction. This will make Genzyme the second LEED certified building in the Meadowlands District.

Some of the many sustainable building techniques utilized include optimization of energy performance, water use reduction, utilization of recycled materials, low VOC emitting materials and daylight and views for building occupants.

Solar Panels on the roof of the NJMC's Science Center

The New Jersey Board of Public Utilities announced that the state now has over 100 MW of solar capacity from more than 4,340 projects statewide.  That is enough electricity to satisfy the needs of almost 200,000 people.

New Jersey is now second only to California in number of installations and capacity, but first it terms of the amount of solar installed per square mile.

Read more here.

The new ShowPlace Theatres at the Plaza at Harmon Meadow shopping and entertainment center in Secaucus opened today.  The 14-screen theater is operated and owned by Kerasotes Theaters, LLC.  The 69,000 square foot theater has 14 screens and 2,752 seats.

Starting today through next Thursday, October 22, all movies are free, along with free popcorn and soda.  The theater is located at 650 Plaza Drive in Secaucus, NJ.

To read about the construction of the theater, click here.

The New Jersey Meadowlands Commission is celebrating the one-year anniversary of the NJMC Business Accelerator this month.  The Business Accelerator was created to help entrepreneurs focused on green and sustainable technologies and services grow their businesses.

After a year in operation, the Accelerator employees more than 21 people on a full-time basis and has trained five interns, according to Director Michel Bitritto. The start-up clients involved have generated nearly $840,000 all together, and these businesses have attracted $2.1 million in third-party funding.

The celebration on October 15, 2009 was a success, attracting more than three dozen visitors including state Senator Robert Gordon, Meadowlands Regional Chamber of Commerce President Jim Kirkos, and several members of the Governor’s economic development staff.  NJMC Executive Director Bob Ceberio also attended.

The NJMC is sponsoring a series of free Green Living programs to help people learn ways to better conserve resources, protect the environment and “green” their life in general. The practical, hands-on public workshops will be held at libraries, stores and other locations throughout the Meadowlands region in the coming months.

The next program, Green Remodeling & Cleaning, is set for Monday, October 19 at 7pm in the Lowe’s home improvement store in East Rutherford.

This free event will feature information on:

• Building more sustainably when doing home renovations
• Information on green products to use
• Shopping for energy-efficient and water saving products
• Benefits of green cleaning for you and the environment
• Plus free sample products

The speaker is Karen Halo, whose work has been featured on ABC’s “Extreme Home Makeover” and in numerous news articles. She will share the expertise she has learned about indoor air quality, water conservation, and saving energy.

Funding for the Green Living programs comes from a Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation grant that the NJMC received this spring to help develop programs that promote sustainability. The grant recognizes the NJMC’s commitment to sustainable initiatives that make a positive environmental and economic impact on the region.

To register for an NJMC Green Living program and learn more about the series, contact Debbie Lawlor at debbie.lawlor@njmeadowlands.gov or 201-460-4671.

The NJMC has been working directly with businesses and municipalities to promote renewable energy projects, recycling and other aspects of green living. The Commission offers financial and other incentives to developers who design and build sustainable projects.

The Commission is also helping Meadowlands District towns become certified through the state’s Sustainable Jersey Program, which rewards communities that go green with access to grants and other financial incentives. Through its Municipal Solar Assistance Program, the NJMC is helping District municipalities and school districts prepare solar energy plans for their buildings.