California-based View’s smart windows are being installed at 111 Wall Street, a 25-story, 110,000 square metre waterfront office tower in Manhattan’s financial district.

Nightingale Properties and Wafra Capital Partners are repositioning the building into a class-A downtown New York office through a redevelopment programme that includes a full exterior renovation and infrastructure overhaul.

The smart windows use artificial intelligence to optimise natural light and views of the outdoors while reducing heat and glare. They will serve as a key amenity to attract tenants focused on employee comfort and wellness in a post-pandemic office environment.

The windows are designed to make buildings healthier, smarter and more energy efficient, a critical differentiator in asset renovations that ultimately benefits a landlord’s bottom line.

The smart windows will provide tenants with unobstructed views of the Manhattan and Brooklyn skylines, New York harbour and the East River, while also reducing energy consumption at the property. In addition, the installation will feature View’s immersive display, which allows tenants to transform their smart windows into transparent, high-definition displays for interactive remote collaboration, internet browsing, entertainment and more.

This is the first property to receive funding through New York’s recently launched C-Pace programme, a financing structure that supports energy efficiency improvements. The C-Pace financing will help fund the building renovations and allow ownership to comply with the city’s new environmental regulations.

“We are focused on creating a safe and secure office space that will put employees returning to work at ease,” said Michael Gontar, chief investment officer with Wafra Capital Partners. “With its numerous health and wellness benefits, incorporating View smart windows into the reimagined 111 Wall Street was an obvious choice.”

Smart glass offers health advantages by reducing the incidence of eyestrain and headaches by over 50%. In a recent study, employees working next to View smart windows improved their sleep by 37 minutes per night and cognitive function by 42 per cent. Research also shows that buildings designed to increase access to natural light yield five to six per cent higher rents.

“The future of buildings is experiential, sustainable, healthy and smart,” said Rao Mulpuri, CEO of View. “For every new building built, there are over 100 existing buildings and there is a tremendous opportunity to upgrade and reposition these buildings for the 21st century. View is excited to help Nightingale Properties and Wafra Capital Partners reposition 111 Wall Street.”

The well-located building, which was previously fully leased to Citigroup and known as the Citibank Building, occupies an entire city block between Wall Street and Gouverneur Lane and sits adjacent to Wall Street and Pier 11, as well as numerous subway lines and the Wall Street Heliport.

Additional renovations to the property include a curtain wall, floor-to-ceiling windows, renovated lobby and other amenities, including a 125-seat conference centre, event space, bike and scooter charging room, and a fitness centre known as 111 Well.

Studios Architecture is overseeing the redesign and Hunter Roberts is managing the construction and renovation work.

The windows use artificial intelligence to adjust automatically in response to the sun and increase access to natural light, acting as a digital skin for smart buildings that improve occupant health and reduce energy consumption to mitigate the effects of climate change. Every installation includes a cloud-connected smart building platform that enables applications to optimise building temperature and air quality, provide indoor cellular coverage, improve building security, and facilitate collaboration.