Green Build Briefing: Top 10 Markets, Product Rankings, LEED Certifications

by | Jun 27, 2011

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San Francisco has been named as the number one major U.S. office market for green real estate opportunities. The Californian city topped the Green Building Opportunity Index, by real estate firm Cushman & Wakefield and the Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance, for the second year in a row.

The index focuses on the primary factors that influence development, retrofitting, leasing and sales of investment-grade green office buildings in the largest U.S. central business districts. It compares a market’s relative position to its peers in six categories: office market conditions, investment outlook, green adoption and implementation, local mandates and incentives, state energy initiatives and green culture.

The 2011 Green Building Opportunity Index’s top 10 markets overall:

  1. San Francisco
  2. Midtown New York City
  3. Washington, D.C.
  4. Midtown South New York City
  5. Los Angeles
  6. Boston
  7. Downtown New York City
  8. Portland, Ore.
  9. Seattle
  10. Oakland

“Green and sustainable building initiatives play a large role in solidifying a CBD’s rank in the Green Building Index,” said Peter Wilcox, senior manager, commercial sector for the NEEA’s BetterBricks initiative. “Seattle’s adoption of the Energy Disclosure Ordinance and Portland’s stimulus-funded existing building renewal of the Edith Green/Wendell Wyatt Federal Building are two examples that demonstrate how changes to either the regulatory scheme or market fundamentals can dramatically change the market viability of green building adoption.”

Sustainable Industries has announced its top 10 green building products. Winners include a “living wall” by building supply firm DIRTT Environmental Solutions and a mobile solar power system from Pure Power Distribution. Winners were selected by a panel of expert judges from more than 100 entries based on environmental performance, scalability/market impact, innovation, design aesthetic, value and compatibility with the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED rating system.

IGS Energy, one of the largest residential retail natural gas suppliers in the U.S., has announced that its new Dublin, Ohio, headquarters has earned a LEED-NC Platinum certification for new construction. IGS Energy earned 52 credits to achieve this prestigious award, including 10 out of 10 for energy efficiency.

A complete renovation of half the space in an office building on the Roche campus in Nutley, N.J. has earned the company a LEED Gold certification. The overhaul of Building 76 was designed to achieve LEED Commercial Interiors certification for energy use, lighting, water, and material use while incorporating a variety of other sustainable strategies.

Logistics company DHL’s Miami Global Forwarding building, owned by DCT Industrial, has also received the LEED Commercial Interiors Gold certification. Located in the City of Doral, in Miami-Dade County, this is the first DHL commercial LEED Gold certified building in the United States.

Covanta Energy Corporation’s new corporate headquarters in Morristown, N.J., has also been awarded the LEED Gold Certification. Covanta initiatives to meet the standard included purchasing enough renewable energy credits to power the entire building with green energy for two years.

Campbell Soup Co. has announced that the Campbell Employee Center has been awarded LEED Silver certification. The Campbell Employee Center is an 80,000-square foot addition to Campbell’s World Headquarters in Camden, Penn.  Designed by Philadelphia-based architects KlingStubbins, the building was opened in June 2010 and is part of a broader effort to help revitalize Camden’s Gateway District.

The Beech-Nut Nutrition Corporation has announced that its new Amsterdam facility, which serves as the company’s headquarters and production plant, has been awarded LEED certification. Beech-Nut says the building is the world’s first LEED-certified baby food production facility.

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