Being Green in Manhattanville

You could try to ask Ramesh Raman, Executive Director of Environmental Field Compliance for Manhattanville Development about his background, but you won't get much.

To be sure, Raman has an impressive record when it comes to the environmental performance of the construction projects he has worked on, which include major New York City projects such as the new South Ferry Terminal Station for the #1 Subway line, the new Fulton Street Transit Center, and the Second Avenue Subway project. But Raman doesn't like to talk about the past. Instead, he changes the subject to the next great project he is working on: his plan to make Columbia's new mixed-use campus in Manhattanville a model for "green" urban development.

The plan, known as the Environmental Performance Commitments Plan (EPC Plan), is a proactive, formal approach to construction mitigation - a sharp contrast to the management of complaints which tends to be the standard model in construction.

It involves translating the stringent environmental compliance requirements set forth and agreed to by the University and distilling them into a set of engineering specifi cations that get incorporated into construction plans.

"Making sure we have clear specifi cations that are reviewed and agreed upon by Columbia, our environmental consultants and our contractors means that we have buy-in from all parties," explains Raman.

These specifi cations refl ect a proactive plan of construction mitigation for the Manhattanville development that optimizes the competing concerns of the impacts of construction on the daily workings of the surrounding community. The strategy includes early planning, regular monitoring and reporting, communications, problem solvingand enforcement management. The two cornerstones of the plan are comprehensive construction mitigation and a dedicated on-site mitigation team.

The comprehensive construction mitigation addresses a wide array of environmental issues, including air quality, noise and vibration, traffic control, business disruptions, and complaint management. The plan implements additional mitigation measures including a Construction Protection Plan to help avoid impacts to buildings within 90 feet of the construction site; a Construction Health and Safety Plan to ensure no signifi cant adverse impacts on public health or the environment; a Noise Control Plan to minimize intrusive noise and a Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plan to limit potential off-site transport of sediment.

The dedicated on-site mitigation team serves as the primary point of contact to respond to community concerns about construction activities. The Facilities Services Center is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week so community members can voice concerns easily. A Web site and newsletter were designed specifi cally for the project to provide frequent updates to the community. Members of the mitigation team are available to meet and work with the community to resolve any concerns or problems that arise during the construction process. And, as appropriate, presentations about the project are made to neighbors, community groups and the local community board to keep them informed about the progress of construction.

Raman already has the plan up and running. Air monitoring stations have been placed along Broadway to monitor the air quality both prior to and during construction of the Manhattanville in West Harlem campus. These stations will help confirm the effectiveness of the University's air quality control strategies and to take corrective measures, if warranted.

Perimeter air monitoring will consist of continuous, real time ambient air monitoring for particulates. Raman also ensures that all construction equipment is outfi tted with air pollution control devices and use Ultra-Low Sulfur Diesel (ULSD) fuel. ULSD offers a significant reduction in particulates as well as in sulfur and other pollutants. If all this sounds like a lot to handle, that's because it is. But Raman - even though he is modest about it - has the extensive background and experience needed for this challenge.

Prior to joining Columbia, Raman was responsible for environmental performance for Metropolitan Transit Authority Capital Construction, where he conducted plan reviews, developed contract specifications and implemented construction mitigation plans for large MTA construction projects.

Several of these projects, such as the South Ferry Subway Terminal Station and the Fulton Street Transit Center, were located in Lower Manhattan as part of the transportation recovery program funded by the federal government after 9/11. The many projects under construction in the tight quarters of Lower Manhattan necessitated the MTA, Port Authority, New York State Department of Transportation, the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation and the Federal Transit Administration to develop and sign a joint agreement to mitigate the environmental impacts of these projects.

"This was the first time in the United States that an analysis was done to evaluate the cumulative effects of projects in close proximity," said Raman. "The plethora of tourists, workers, and buildings in Lower Manhattan required a coordinated environmental performance effort."

As a result, the United States Environmental Protection Agency is using Raman's clean diesel emissions program as a model of success for other projects throughout the country and recognized his program with an award.

Previously, Raman's work on the "greening" of the New York City Transit's Corona Maintenance Facility - the first LEED-certified MTA property - received honorable mention in the 2004 New York City Green Building Design competition.

"Construction mitigation measures, like everything else in business, comes down to a question of how much we care about what we do, how committed we are," said Raman. "There is nothing mystical or abstract and it is no more and no less than what all of us put into our daily jobs. Our success depends on how well we communicate and team together to meet the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead."

And meeting those challenges is just what he's done throughout his career. He just won't tell you about it.

    
An air monitoring station on Broadway monitors the air quality both prior to and during construction. 

 
Raman conducted plan reviews, developed contract specifi cations and implemented construction mitigation plans for large MTA construction projects.