WASHINGTON, D.C. – Transwestern today announced that 815 Connecticut Ave., NW has received LEED Platinum certification by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) under the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) for Existing Buildings: Operations & Maintenance™ green building rating system.
Phase I of the building re-development was the replacement of the central plant equipment with state-of-the-art, energy efficient equipment to provide better control of the ambient temperature within the building and also reduce operating costs via reduced electricity usage. The ability to monitor the power consumption of individual mechanical components was built into the new plant so that future energy savings could be planned and monitored in real time. The ENERGY STAR® rating skyrocketed nearly 50 points to 82 after the first year the new chiller plant was in operation.
Phase II of the re-development plan included the replacement of the exterior façade of the building with a curtain wall system and the addition of a penthouse rooftop terrace. Many of the building amenities improved include ADA restroom upgrades, parking valet office, expanded lobby and plaza upgrades. Additionally, the floor plates were expanded to gain additional rentable office space.
The upper floors of the building have magnificent views of the White House front lawn, as the building is located only two blocks away. The goal for the re-development plan was to transform this existing Class A building to a trophy building, which will complement the trophy location of 815 Connecticut Avenue.
Other highlights of the project include:
- Approximately $350,000 annual savings in utility expenses
- 75 percent of wood used in the project is FSC-certified
- 16 percent of materials used for construction contain post-consumer recycled materials
- 70 percent of energy used is offset by Green-e certified, off-site renewable energy sources
- 90 percent building reuse
- 75 percent of waste was diverted from landfills and incinerators during the construction process
- Low-flow toilets, urinals and faucets installed
Along with immediate physical actions taken to help 815 Connecticut Avenue earn the certification, some indirect long-term efforts include putting in place a building exterior and landscape management program to help sustain the local environment and ecosystems, as well as a tenant education program to raise awareness and encourage tenants to engage in sustainable practices at work and at home.
ABOUT TRANSWESTERN
Transwestern is a privately held real estate firm specializing in agency leasing, property and facilities management, tenant advisory, capital markets, development, research and sustainability. The fully integrated global enterprise leverages competencies in office, industrial, retail, multifamily and healthcare properties to add value for investors, owners and occupiers of real estate. Transwestern facilitates better decision-making for clients by combining penetrating local market intelligence and macro-market research through its affiliate, Delta Associates. Transwestern has 33 U.S. offices and assists clients through more than 181 offices in 40 countries as part of a strategic alliance with Paris-based BNP Paribas Real Estate. For more information, please visit www.transwestern.net and follow us on Twitter: @Transwestern.