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LEED Platinum Certification Awarded to 1800 Larimer Office Building in Colorado

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Aug 18 2010

1800 Larimer, the Denver Central Business District's first high-rise office in more than 25 years, has been awarded LEED Platinum certification by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), Westfield Company, Inc. announced today.

The certification makes 1800 Larimer one of the first high-rise office buildings in the United States and the largest west of the Mississippi River to receive LEED Platinum status – the highest awarded. In addition, the property is the first building in Colorado to be awarded LEED Platinum certification based on the LEED Core/Shell version 2.0, which has more stringent requirements than earlier versions.

Completed in May 2010, 1800 Larimer ushers in a new class of technologically-advanced 21st Century corporate office towers, employing state-of-the-art systems and design features, which provide a healthier, more productive business environment. It's also one of the largest office buildings begun and completed in the United States since the commercial real estate market crash of 2008.

Developed by Westfield, designed by international architectural firm RNL, and built by Mortenson Construction, the 500,000-square-foot glass-clad high-rise offers a next generation business environment. The 22-story building is 80% leased and is the regional headquarters for Xcel Energy. Frederick Ross Company, Apartment Realty Advisors, Westfield Company and Citywide Banks are also tenants in the building.

"1800 Larimer is a great addition to Denver's skyline and its LEED Platinum certification is a significant achievement, not only for Westfield, but also for Denver and the City's Greenprint program," said Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper. "The building will serve as a model for future development as demand for green buildings grows. It beautifully illustrates how tenants can save money on their utilities while reducing their environmental impact."

Rich McClintock, Westfield's Chief Executive Officer, said: "1800 Larimer represents how leading edge building design can help create a healthful, high-performing, and environmentally-sound workplace – what most tenants will require in the future. Westfield is proud to have achieved the highest LEED certification and we believe that 1800 Larimer is the standard for next generation office buildings."

David Eves, President and CEO of Public Service Co. of Colorado, Xcel Energy's operating company in the state, said: "We were able to consolidate three offices into the building, so there are definitely efficiencies for us. But the appeal of 1800 Larimer was also the prospect of moving into a LEED Platinum office tower. We wanted to have an office building and space that reinforces the environmental commitment that we have as a company, and we have achieved that."

McClintock added, "Not only is 1800 Larimer the most sustainable office building in Colorado, it also enjoys AAA amenities like concierge security and a hotel-style conference facility that accommodates nearly 300 people."

1800 Larimer was certified under the USGBC LEED Core/Shell 2.0 designation based on six categories, achieving a total of 47 points.

LEED HIGHLIGHTS

Sustainable Site

The building's central location provides convenient access to all transport modes. The building is just a few minutes walk from the expanding Union Station transit hub and provides quick access to Interstate 25 (3 minutes) and Interstate 70 (7 minutes). In addition, Denver's planned Downtown Circulator will be adjacent to the building.
The site includes one of the city's largest private building parks spanning a beautifully landscaped, 17,000-square-foot outdoor terrace.
Stormwater design integrates a 100-year flood level storage tank that collects and slowly releases storm runoff into the regional system after being filtered for undesirable sediments.
A reduced heat island effect is achieved through use of high SRI (solar reflection index) materials on all horizontal surfaces including the roof and the outdoor terrace covering a majority of the parking garage.
A fitness center with locker and shower facilities promotes a healthier lifestyle.
Abundant bicycle parking encourages tenants to bike to work.

Water Efficiency

Water saving fixtures such as waterless urinals and low-flow faucets result in 43.6% less water used.
Use of native or adaptive vegetation on landscaped terrace requires 65.9% less water.

Energy and Atmosphere

The building energy model predicts a 22.6% energy cost savings over the ASHRAE 90.1-2004 standard and up to a 50% energy consumption savings based on BTU's per-square-foot projections compared to the average office building of its size in the country.
A progressive under floor ventilation system contributes substantially to the energy savings and delivers improved air quality using natural convection principles instead of forced air.
At least 35% of the building's core and shell energy requirement will be acquired from Xcel Energy's Windsource® power.
Tenants have separate energy consumption metering, incentivizing them to incorporate their own energy saving strategies.

Materials and Resources

85% of construction debris was diverted from disposal.
48% of construction materials (mainly steel, concrete and glass) were from recycled content.
Regional sources (mainly precast, steel and drywall) were utilized for 23% of materials.
All interior wood doors were certified in accordance with the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), accounting for more than 76% of the building's wood.
The building employs an extensive recycling program.

Indoor Environmental Quality

Under floor systems replace stale, stuffy air with nearly 40% more outdoor fresh air than the standard set by ASHRAE 62.1-2004.
9-1/2 foot floor-to-ceiling windows provide vast unobstructed Rocky Mountain views, allowing natural light to penetrate deep into workspaces.
Employees control airflow and temperature in each workspace through adjustable floor diffusers to meet their individual needs and comfort levels.
Building finishes consist of only low volatile organic compounds (low VOCs).

Innovation and Design Process

In addition to the LEED requirements, 1800 Larimer earned additional credits for offering new solutions and exemplary performance through the following achievements: