News Release
For Immediate Release
Contact: Anne Monson, APR, 505-244-8479 Melanie J. Majors, APR, 505-266-5637
MESA DEL SOL ANNOUNCES U.S. GREEN BUILDING COUNCIL AWARDS
LEED CERTIFICATION FOR ADVENT SOLAR
Albuquerque, NM
– January 23, 2008 – Mesa del Sol announced today that its first building, leased and occupied by tenant Advent Solar, has been awarded LEED® "Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design" Certification for Environmental Sustainability by the U.S. Green Building Council. The building is one of a handful of buildings in Albuquerque to earn LEED Certification and the first at Mesa del Sol.
"LEED certification provides an independent, third-party verification that a building meets the highest green building and performance measures," said Michael Daly, president of Forest City Covington, developer of Mesa del Sol in making the announcement. "LEED Certification supports Mesa del Sol’s sustainability goals of ensuring that environmental considerations are included in our business, financial, and operational decision making."
Daly said Advent Solar CEO Peter Green will receive recognition by the U.S. Green Building Council and a LEED Certification plaque to be mounted on the building. The Advent Solar building is the fourth Forest City building to be granted LEED Certification.
"Together with the Dekker/Perich/Sabatini architectural firm that designed the building, Advent Solar, and the entire Mesa del Sol team, we take great pride in being recognized with this designation for our commitment to being a good steward of the environment," said Daly.
He outlined the environmental and financial benefits to earning LEED certification stating that
LEED-certified buildings have lower operating costs and increased asset value; reduced waste is sent to landfills; they conserve energy and water; they are healthier and safer for occupants; they reduce harmful greenhouse gas emissions and demonstrate an owner's commitment to environmental stewardship and social responsibility.
"Advent Solar would like to thank the Mesa del Sol and Dekker/Perrich/Sabatini teams for their hard work in providing a cutting edge LEED facility for us to conduct our operations," said Advent Solar CEO Green. "Sustainability is a core value of Advent Solar, and being able to manufacture in a building that has received the LEED certification reaffirms our commitment to the environment. We are proud to lead the solar industry in this innovative movement of sustainable business practices, and we look forward to proudly displaying the LEED plaque on our facility."
The Advent Solar building is energy efficient, featuring a number of 21
st-century innovations, such as high-efficiency HVAC units and low-flow plumbing fixtures that will reduce the consumption of natural resources. It was built using concrete tilt construction, which contained a high percentage of recycled materials and low-emitting material. Large overhead glass doors light the manufacturing spaces. The grounds feature accommodations for multiple bicycle riders and designated parking for hybrid fuel vehicles. All landscaping is xeriscaped, and Advent Solar has an extensive cistern system for water harvesting and efficient irrigation.
The sustainability goals for the building began at the start of design with Dekker/Perich/Sabatini and continued through construction when Klinger Constructors, LLC, the general contractor, implemented practices to reduce off-site silting through uncontrolled run-off and separation of construction waste for further recycling.
The Advent Solar building has also been honored with the
Southwest Contractor magazine award for Best Industrial Building in 2007 and the NAIOP award for the Best Industrial Building in 2006.
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The U.S. Green Building Council is the nation's foremost coalition of leaders from across the building industry working to promote buildings that are environmentally responsible, profitable and healthy places to live and work. LEED®, the "Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design" Green Building Rating System
TM, is the nationally accepted standard for green buildings developed by the USGBC membership.
About Mesa del Sol
Mesa del Sol is a 12,900-acre mixed-use district located on Albuquerque’s south mesa. By combining job creation and sustainable urban community planning, Mesa del Sol will reflect a balance of environmental resources, economic objectives and social amenities in a community that is forward-looking with a highly defined sense of place.
Mesa del Sol is a true public/private partnership. In addition to Forest City Covington, NM, LLC, Mesa del Sol is being developed in conjunction with other partners, including the New Mexico State Land Office, the University of New Mexico, with the support of the City of Albuquerque, Bernalillo County and the State of New Mexico.
About Forest City Covington
Forest City Covington NM, LLC is a joint venture between Forest City NM. LLC and Covington NM, LLC. Forest City NM, LLC is a subsidiary of Forest City Enterprises, Inc., a $10 billion NYSE-listed national real estate company. The Company is principally engaged in the ownership, development, management and acquisition of commercial and residential real estate and land throughout the United States. Covington NM, LLC is an affiliate company of Covington Capital Corporate, a major real estate development and investment company. Covington Capital and its affiliate companies currently own more than 13 million square feet of commercial/industrial space and are actively developing more than 17,000 acres of land in the Western United States.