News Release
For Immediate Release
Contact: Anne Monson, APR, 505-244-8479 Melanie J. Majors, APR, 505-266-5637
MESA DEL SOL CELEBRATES EARTH DAY
Community’s First LEED Certified Building Recognized
Albuquerque, NM – April 22, 2008 – Mesa del Sol celebrated Earth Day by hosting a morning LEED® “Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design” certification plaque presentation and reception at Advent Solar, 5600 University Blvd., SE.
The Mesa del Sol-owned building is the first building to receive LEED® “Certification for Environmental Sustainability,” from the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). USGBC New Mexico Chapter President Lisa Logan presented the LEED plaque to Michael Daly, president of Mesa del Sol.
“It’s fitting that we debut this plaque on Earth Day,” said Daly. “This achievement signifies that the building is designed and operating exactly as it was intended. This plaque is just the first of what we hope will be many all over Mesa del Sol.”
“At Mesa del Sol, going green is part of our vision for the entire area. Environmental responsibility and a sustainable community are the basic elements of our vision for this community. We see it as a model, yet livable, community where conservation of water and natural resources is incorporated into daily life, from walking to work and school, using native plantings to reduce water use, to Energy Star® appliances and even some day the use of renewable energy,” said Daly.
Daly said that LEED benefits include environmental, economic and occupant-oriented performance and health advantages. It is estimated that LEED-certified buildings cost less to operate and maintain, are energy and water efficient and may contribute to occupant health and productivity.
The LEED Certification plaque was affixed near the front door of the building and states, “The sustainability goals for the building began at the start of design and continued through construction. The building was constructed using concrete tilt-up panels, which contain a high percentage of recycled materials. Additional sustainable practices were implemented to reduce off-site silting through uncontrolled run-off and separation of construction waste for further recycling. The xeriscaped landscaping is watered with a high-efficiency irrigation system supplemented by two 15,000-gallon cisterns. The building is also capable of using Advent Solar products to power a portion of the facility.”
The contributors to the project included:
Developer: Forest City Covington, NM, LLC
Architecture and Structural Engineering: Dekker/Perich/Sabatini Ltd.
General Contractor: Klinger Constructors, LLC
Civil Engineer: Bohannan Huston, Inc.
Mechanical Contractor: Yearout Mechanical, Inc.
Electrical Contractor: Chaparral Electric
Consulting Engineers: Bridgers & Paxton Consulting Engineers, Inc.
Interiors: JTC Painting
Landscaping: Heads Up Landscape Contractors
Dry Utility Coordination: Brasher and Lorenz, Inc.
Infrastructure Construction: Franklins Earthmoving, Inc.
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.
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