Appel is in charge of constructing the Bank of America Tower at One Bryant Park going up right now. By next year, this 2.1 million-square-foot building not only will be towering over New York City, but will also supposed to be living up to its billing as the “greenest skyscraper” in the world, being the first to have achieved LEED Platinum Certification. How will it do that? By being constructed from recycled and renewable sources within 500 miles of New York City, by capturing and re-using all rainwater and wastewater, by using translucent, high-performance exterior glass to ensure maximum daylight in interior spaces, etc. Some of us remember that the Citigroup tower of 1978 was supposed to have solar panels on the roof. So, any screw-ups versus the “green” claims could set back interest in the sustainable construction movement by a decade. If Appel succeeds, this will be a major triumph.