Howard S. Wright project Executive Receives 2013 BetterBricks Award
Portland, August 8, 2013 /3BL Media/ - Matthew Braun, PE, project executive for Howard S. Wright, a Balfour Beatty company, has been selected as winner of a 2013 BetterBricks Award from the Portland Business Journal.
The BetterBricks Awards recognize standout individuals making real impact in energy efficiency for commercial buildings in the Northwest. These professionals have championed the way towards a smarter built environment both within their own organizations and throughout the community. Their work has led to buildings that offer improved energy efficiency, bottom-line benefits, and a reduced carbon footprint. Braun was honored in the Emerging Leaders category.
Since starting with an electrical contractor in high school, Braun has an extensive background working on commercial buildings. His most recent project, the Edith Green-Wendell Wyatt (EGWW) Federal Building Modernization project is on target to obtain LEED Platinum certification. The project involved modernization of a 35-year old high-rise in downtown Portland. Owned and operated by the General Services Administration (GSA), the 500,000 square foot modernization project creates an economically and operationally efficient high-performance green building for the Government.
In partnership with SERA Architects and GSA, Braun and the Howard S. Wright project team utilized a unique integrated project delivery approach to implement many innovative sustainable solutions at the EGWW project including:
- 180 KW photovoltaic array on the roof
- 84 LEED potential points toward LEED Platinum certification
- New MEP systems that will save hundreds of thousands of dollars over the life of the project
- Six passenger elevators that reduce elevator power use by 75% generating electricity as it descends
- Hydronic radiant heating and cooling systems that decrease overall annual energy usage by 60%
- Diversion of 89% of project waste (more than 7,214 tons) from landfills
“We are extremely proud that Matthew has been recognized with this prestigious award,” said Jim Sather, Division President for Howard S. Wright in Oregon. “It is a great honor, but no surprise. His dedication to achieving greater energy savings for the health of the environment is setting the bar for others to follow.”
Braun, along will the other BetterBricks Award recipients, will be honored at a special celebration breakfast hostedon August 21 at the Hilton Hotel. The event includes a panel discussion with Mark Edlen, CEO, Gerding Edlen; Jenny Bloomfield, Director of LEED, JE Dunn; Kirk Davis, Managing Principal, Glumac; and Craig Wessel, Publisher, Portland Business Journal. Tickets to attend this event are available here.
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About Howard S. Wright
With over 128 years in business, Howard S. Wright provides preconstruction, general contracting, and construction management services for clients in the public and private sector. Operating out of offices on the West Coast, the company serves numerous market sectors including public agency, healthcare, technology, mission critical, education, and multi-family housing. Howard S. Wright is a leader in sustainable building with over $1.7 billion in completed LEED projects. Serving clients in the public and private sector, the company has successfully delivered construction management and general contracting services for ten Fortune 100 Companies. In June of 2011, Howard S. Wright joined the Balfour Beatty Construction family of companies. For more information about Howard S. Wright, visit howardswright.com.
About Balfour Beatty Construction
An industry leader for more than 80 years, Balfour Beatty Construction provides general contracting, at-risk construction management, and design-build services for a wide variety of markets, serving clients in both the public and private sector. With more than 2,400 employees across the U.S., the company has been cited as a Top 10 Green Builder by Engineering News-Record, and as one of the 100 Best Companies to Work For® by FORTUNE magazine, four years in a row. The company is part of London-based Balfour Beatty plc, a global infrastructure services business operating in more than 80 countries, with a worldwide commitment to providing assets that help societies function, develop, and thrive. To learn more about the company, visit www.balfourbeattyus.com or look for BalfourBeattyUS on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.
