HOUSTON – A new 35-story office tower in downtown Houston has achieved LEED Platinum certification, marking it as one of the world’s most sustainable and energy-efficient high-rises.
The Bank of America Tower at 800 Capitol comprises 780,000 square feet and uses approximately 32 percent less energy than a typical office tower, according to Skanska USA Commercial Development, the project’s developer.
Key sustainable features include a 24,000-square-foot green roof park and:
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a 50,000-gallon rainwater collection system for landscape irrigation and restroom reuse;
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secured bicycle storage with lockers and showers for building occupants;
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location within one block of three MetroRail stations, supporting transit access;
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daylight and views accessible to 90 percent of tenant spaces;
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a high-performance façade that reduces solar heat gain and improves thermal performance;
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an energy recovery wheel to precondition fresh air and improve HVAC efficiency;
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district cooling that supplies chilled water throughout the building, lowering cooling costs and ensuring scalable capacity for tenants.
Designed by Gensler, the Bank of America Tower offers 754,000 square feet of office space plus a 35,000-square-foot below-grade hub called the Understory, which includes a full-service restaurant and a 9,000-square-foot culinary market.
“We are honored that Bank of America Tower has been recognized by the U.S. Green Building Council as the first LEED v4 Platinum Core & Shell certified project in the United States,” said Matt Damborsky of Skanska.
The tower, which opened this summer, houses Bank of America as well as tenants such as Winston & Strawn, Waste Management and Quantum Energy Partners. Additional space remains available and is being shown to prospective tenants.
Skanska reports that this is the first commercial office development in Houston to achieve LEED Platinum under the U.S. Green Building Council’s current Core & Shell certification, and it has been recognized as the largest LEED v4 Platinum Core & Shell project worldwide.
Skanska’s parent company, Skanska AB, is headquartered in Stockholm and listed on the Stockholm Stock Exchange. The company reported global revenue of $20 billion in 2018.
Aug. 1, 2019 Realty News Report Copyright 2019
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