Business Facilities - February 2008 - (Page 20)

BUSINESS REPORT New Mexico New Mexico also offers a green filmmaking program to complement the state’s popularity as a production location. Specific incentives, such as a 25% tax rebate on production expenditures and an investment loan of up to $15 million, are standard benefits, but the state will consider additional financial benefits, such as waiving certain permit fees, for production companies that adhere to the principles of the green production program. The New Mexico Film Office offers all productions a “Green Information Packet” that explains the benefits of being eco-friendly, and also provides information about leasing hybrid/electric vehicles, using non-toxic supplies, harvesting rainwater, reducing waste, and using biodiesel for generators. Moreover, the office can supply contacts for environmentally friendly production goods and services. A voluntary New Mexico Green Filmmaking certification program is also offered to key production personnel, such as production managers and coordinators, interested in more intensive training in green production. This certification aims to further the awareness and dissemination of information throughout the film production industry. Academy Award-winning writer, director, and producer Paul Haggis, famous for films Crash and Million Dollar Baby, participated in New Mexico’s green filmmaking program last year while making In the Valley of Elah. “There were locations left and right,” he says. Eco-friendly materials were used to build sets, disposal of recyclables was arranged at all filming locations, and only cars that operated on at least 22 miles per gallon were rented. 20 FEBRUARY 2008 INTERVIEW WITH MARK LAUTMAN, DIRECTOR OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FOR MESA DEL SOL Mesa del Sol is a growing, masterplanned community built within the city limits of Albuquerque, NM. We chatted with Mark Lautman to discover more about this green business haven. BF: What sets Mesa del Sol apart from other sites in New Mexico for businesses looking to relocate? What are its advantages or incentives? LAUTMAN: It is one of the largest infill developments in the country, with a master plan approved for 100,000 residents, 38,000 rooftops, 20 million square feet of commercial and industrial space, and the potential for 60,000 new jobs. It is juxtaposed to downtown Albuquerque, the international airport, and Sandia National Labs, and three new Interstate 25 interchanges are planned to be built. The developer has committed to building a community that uses a fraction of the water and energy used by existing subdivisions in the region. The master plan emphasizes proximity; all the residential services, employment centers, recreational spaces, and educational amenities are within walking and biking distance of every resident. As a formal condition of its development agreement, the developer must create twice as many economic base jobs as needed to support the residential population, for a total of 30,000 new jobs. To that end, the developer has 1,400 acres of industrial and office park inventory, and a fast track, build-to-suit lease program. BF: The whole business world is talking about “going green.” What role do you think Mesa del Sol plays in this trend? LAUTMAN: Mesa del Sol was planned as a sustainable community from its inception, with conservation of water, energy, and people’s time as the major design focus for subdivisions, homes, and commercial and institutional buildings. For example, Mesa del Sol is pursuing the development of a major solar power plant facility to feed local and regional renewable energy demands. Mesa del Sol will be one of a few largescale communities in the U.S. where every home is Energy Star-rated and most commercial buildings meet LEED standards. BF: With solar energy companies like Advent and Schott, and with Sandia National Laboratories nearby, Mesa del Sol is growing as a renewable energy cluster. Do you foresee this industry becoming your main focus? If so, should other types of companies still consider your community for relocations? LAUTMAN: Employers in the renewable energy sector are one of the five primary industry targets that Mesa del Sol is actively pursuing to fulfill its job creation commitments. Proximity to Sandia National Laboratories, numerous state tax credits, bond programs, grant programs, and alternative fuel incentives, plus New Mexico’s abundant sunshine, make it an ideal site for a renewable energy cluster. In addition to the renewable sector, Mesa del Sol has targeted the film and digital media industry, financial services, federal government services, and medical sports and wellness as future economic clusters.

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Business Facilites - February 2008 Contents First Word Snapshots Corporate Moves: Texas Capturing the Creative Class Green with Energy Automotive Opportunities in a Green Economy Corporate Moves: Wyoming Metro Spotlight: Overland Park, KS Metro Spotlight: Long Island, NY Get Ahead in Alabama Indiana: Sending Tech Messages How to Successfully Negotiate a Lease in Today's Real Estate Environment Legislation Spurring Innovation in Kentucky New Center will Propel Ontario's Automotive Future Virginia's Vital Signs Eating Well in the North of France Advertiser Index Ask the Expert

Business Facilities - February 2008

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