Seattle’s EMP Administrative Office Building Earns LEED® Platinum

SEATTLE, March 6, 2014 /3BL Media/ - Howard S. Wright, a Balfour Beatty company, announced that the EMP Administrative Office Building for the EMP Museum in Seattle, Washington, received a LEED® Platinum Certification from the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). Developed by Vulcan, Inc. and owned by Cedar Strands Properties the project is also the first Salmon-Safe certified urban in-fill project to date and the first Salmon-Safe certified office building in Seattle.  

Construction on the 51,200 square foot concrete structure with four levels above grade, and one level below, began in October 2011 and completed in June 2013. The facility houses additional space for the Museum and includes office space, workshops, and acclimatized collections storage. The project was designed by Collins Woerman of Seattle, Washington, and also earned a 2013 ENR Best Project Award for Office/Retail/Mixed-Use Developments in the Northwest in December.

“Our primary focus was to achieve the owner’s goal of constructing a LEED Platinum building,” said Brad Phillips, senior project manager. “We knew that in order to achieve this goal, we had to design and build an extremely high performing building envelope, and also include a high percentage of natural light – a challenge the team took to heart.”

 “To overcome the challenge, we brought in specialty contractors early in the design process who were focused on performance as much as they were on cost and aesthetics,” Phillips added. “This innovative approach may have been the single largest factor in achieving the LEED Platinum rating. In fact, we maintained an intense focus on developing strategies to achieve this goal throughout the entire design and construction process, and we were able to do so with minimal cost impact to the project.”  

“The project has exceeded the minimum amount of points to achieve LEED Platinum,” said Dan Peyovich, division president for Howard S. Wright. “I’m proud of our team’s commitment to deliver a high performance building at the highest level of sustainability possible for this signature museum project in Seattle.”

Included in the project’s accomplishments are water efficiency upgrades and a rain water collection system resulting in 75% less water usage than code compliant fixtures. The highly efficient envelope, electrical, and mechanical systems were designed to reduce energy use by 38%.  Additional sustainable design solutions include:

- Construction waste recycling exceeded 75%, resulting in a significant reduction in landfill waste

- Recycled content materials were used for 16% of construction materials, reducing the need for raw materials

- FSC certified wood was used for 23% of the wood installed on the project, supporting sustainably managed forests

- The project is located in an urban area with convenient access to public transit, community resources, and services reducing the impacts from transportation

- Enhanced indoor air quality including 30% additional outside air and limited use of finish products that off-gas toxins, creating a healthy indoor environment for occupants

- Integrated pest management plan and policy to help reduce the use of toxic chemicals

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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, commercial office, mission critical, education, and multi-family housing. Howard S. Wright is a leader in sustainable building with over $1.8 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 10 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 Services US 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 3,000 employees across the U.S., the company has been cited as a Top 10 Domestic Building Contractor and Top 10 Green Builder by Engineering News-Record. 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.

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