Posted: Nov 15, 2010
*FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: November 2, 2010 *
Contact: Sydney Townsend
stownsend@sunwestpr.com
Sunwest Communications
(214) 373-1601 or (972) 979-9351
BLUE CROSS AND BLUE SHEILD OF TEXAS HEADQUARTERS RECEIVES SILVER CERTIFICATION FROM THE U.S. GREEN BUILDING COUNCIL
Green areas exceed local requirements by 470 percent and 72.9 percent of site’s natural habitat was preserved or restored to Blackland Prairie
DALLAS – Nov. 2, 2010 – KDC, one of America’s leading commercial real estate and investment firms, today announced that the 1-million-square-foot Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas (BCBSTX) headquarters facility in Richardson, Texas, has achieved LEED Silver Certification from the U.S. Green Building Council.
“BCBSTX leadership demonstrated a tremendous commitment to seeking LEED certification throughout the development process,” said Don Mills, executive vice president of KDC. “The new headquarters provides a healthy work environment and mirrors BCBS’s overall vision as a top healthcare provider.”
To receive LEED Silver Certification, the BCBSTX headquarters was evaluated in six areas: sustainable sites, water efficiency, energy and atmosphere, materials and resources, indoor environmental quality, and innovation and design process. Points were awarded for each area, with the total number of points determining the level of LEED certification.
The BCBSTX headquarters was recognized for several sustainable strategies:
Construction of the BCBSTX headquarters began in January 2008 and was completed in November 2009. The 34-acre corporate complex, located at 1001 E. Lookout Drive in the Galatyn Park area of Richardson, Texas, is one of the largest build-to-suit development projects in Dallas-Fort Worth since the mid-1980s.
The headquarters includes a 15-story and a seven-story office tower, as well as a 3,500-car parking structure. It also includes a 19,000-square-foot dining facility, multiple conference and meeting rooms, and a 440-seat auditorium. The headquarters accommodates 3,900 employees, who moved into the building during the first quarter of 2010.
About KDC
KDC, one of America’s leading commercial real estate and investment companies, provides a full range of commercial real estate services including corporate build-to-suit development, acquisitions, corporate facility project/construction management, project financing, asset and land management, and marketing and leasing. KDC is headquartered in Dallas and has offices in Atlanta; Charlotte, N.C.; and Detroit. For more information visit www.kdc.com.
About Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas — the only statewide, customer-owned health insurer in Texas — is the largest provider of health benefits in the state, working with nearly 40,000 physicians and 400 hospitals to serve 4 million members in all 254 counties. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas is a division of Health Care Service Corporation (HCSC), the country’s largest customer-owned health insurer and fourth largest health insurer overall. HCSC is a Mutual Legal Reserve Company and an Independent Licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.
About USGBC & LEED
The U.S Green Building Council (USGBC) is the nation’s leading coalition of corporations, builders, universities, federal and local agencies, and non-profit organizations working together to promote buildings that are environmentally responsible, profitable and healthy places to live and work. The USGBC’s LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Green Building Rating System is a voluntary third-party rating system where building projects earn credits for satisfying specific green building criteria.