Environmental Design + Construction - October 2008 - (Page 52) CASE STUDY The Mutual Building, now known as The Christman Building, proved to be an excellent candidate for fulfilling all of the stated objectives. Originally designed and built to house the headquarters of the Michigan Millers Mutual Fire Insurance Company in 1928, this landmark downtown building and brownfield site proved to be an irresistible candidate for a milestone green and historic preservation project. Aside from its rich history and beautiful interior, reusing an existing building is one of the most “green” initiatives possible in that we can tap the inherent embodied energy and resources within the structure, help to reduce urban sprawl, and contribute to the revitalization of downtown and its existing infrastructure. SUSTAINABILITY GOALS Including the addition of a conference center at the original rooftop level, the renovated building contains approximately 60,000 gross square feet. Given that the owner’s corporate offices and support functions only required 50 percent of the building’s available area, three floors are being leased to other tenants. Due to the use and configuration of the building, the owner’s initial sustainability goals included pursuing LEED Gold certification for two of the USGBC rating systems, Core and Shell (LEED-CS) for the entire building and Commercial Interiors (LEED-CI) for its own corporate offices, with the caveat that there be no appreciable increase to the cost of construction. As the project progressed, it became clear that Platinum certification was well within reach. According to the owner’s records, the cost for all sustainability initiatives added approximately 2 percent to the cost of the project, of which half of the added costs are attributed to the LEED certification process. Ignoring the financial benefits of increased occupant comfort, health and productivity, the owner expects to see a two-year return on its initial capital investment through the building’s increased energy efficiency. Not withstanding the owner’s sustainability goals, a key challenge to the design team was that the financial success of the project was dependent upon the acquisition of approximately $2.5 million in historic tax credits. Accordingly, all work had to be completed in accordance with the rigorous and often conflicting requirements of the Secretary of Interior’s Standards for Historic Preservation. In the end, the owner received all of the tax credits and the world’s first dual LEED Platinum certified build. + D. Brooke Smith, AIA, NCARB, LEED AP is a principal with SmithGroup. Visit www.smithgroup.com. , A renovated historic landmark offers sustainable office space. Photo by Gene Meadows, courtesy of The Christman Company. Water Conservation = Water Storage Water is valuable. Xerxes can help you store it wisely while also earning LEED design points with cost-effective fiberglass underground tanks. For more than 25 years, Xerxes has been supplying the petroleum industry with high-quality tanks for a wide variety of fuel storage needs. Today, Xerxes fiberglass tanks are routinely incorporated into building designs that qualify for available LEED credits. Some of today's most innovative Green Building projects recognize that water storage is a key element in maximizing water conservation design possibilities. Green Building applications utilizing Xerxes fiberglass tanks include: • Rainwater Harvesting • Stormwater Retention • Water Efficient Landscaping Irrigation • Onsite Wastewater Systems • Greywater Recycling • Chiller Unit Water Collection Visit our Web site or contact us for a copy of our Green Building Applications brochure. WWW.EDCMAG.COM www.xerxescorp.com • (952) 887-1890 phone • (952) 887-1882 fax a subsidiary of ZCL Composites Inc. 52 EDC08084Xerx.indd 1 READER SERVICE NO. 182 WWW.EDCMAG.COM/WEBCARD 7/14/08 1:26:46 PM http://www.smithgroup.com http://www.xerxescorp.com http://www.EDCmag.com http://www.xerxescorp.com http://www.EDCmag.com
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