Posted: Jun 11, 2008
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 11, 2008
Contact: Sydney Townsend or Dana Latson
stownsend@sunwestpr.com or dlatson@sunwestpr.com
Sunwest Communications
(214) 373-1601
KDC’S CHEVRON BUILDING RECEIVES GOLD CERTIFICATION
Build-to-suit is first project for KDC to receive Gold status in recognition of superior elements of sustainable design
DALLAS – – Koll Development Company (KDC) recently completed a regional office building for Chevron Corp. (NYSE: CVX) in St. Tammany Parish and it has received Gold Certification from the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) program. This is KDC’s first project to achieve LEED Gold status. In addition, the Chevron development is the first office building in Louisiana to receive LEED certification from the USGBC.
“As a company, we continue to focus on ‘green’ development as seen through our national Intellicenter program and our other LEED certified projects,” said Mike Rosamond, senior vice president of KDC. “Chevron strongly believes in a healthy work environment, so seeking our first Gold certification on behalf of Chevron was a logical choice and the best way to meet the needs of our client.”
To receive LEED certification, Chevron’s regional office building was evaluated in six areas: sustainable sites, water efficiency, energy and atmosphere, materials and resources, indoor environmental quality and innovation and design process. Points are awarded for each area, with the total number of points determining the level of LEED certification. Chevron’s regional office was recognized for several sustainable strategies:
• under-floor air distribution, which reduces indoor pollutants and allows an individual to control the air supply at his or her own work station;
• monitoring and adjustment of carbon dioxide levels and introduction of “fresh air” to all areas on an as-needed basis;
• reflective roofing, energy-efficient glass, and wall and roof insulation designed to achieve optimized energy performance;
• over 75% of the critical visual task areas have been provided with daylighting and exterior views that meet or exceed LEED requirements;
• over 51% of the site was protected in its original state or was restored to its native habitat upon completion of construction;
• site open space (“green areas”) exceed local requirements by 155%, providing walking paths, outdoor fountains, an outdoor pavilion and views of native trees and plant materials; and
• 70% of the building’s annual energy requirements for a two-year period of time have been purchased from Renewable Choice Energy, a Green-e Certified source of energy production.
Construction of the 300,000-square-foot build-to-suit regional office began in January 2007 and was completed at the end of the first quarter of 2008 on a “fast-track” time frame. A ribbon cutting ceremony was recently held at the building site, located at 100 Northpark Boulevard in the Northpark Business Park, 40 miles north of New Orleans in St. Tammany Parish. The new building, which houses up to 750 employees, is home to Chevron North America Exploration and Production Company’s Gulf of Mexico Business Unit (GOMBU).
“Northpark is ‘LEED-ing’ the way for Chevron as the company’s first commercial LEED registered building, and we are proud that it is certified gold,” said Warner Williams, vice president, GOMBU. “Northpark is highly technology enabled to support real-time operations for our Gulf of Mexico shelf and deepwater production centers.”
Additional building design elements include an open floor plan, an employee dining area, fitness center, conference area, and a structured parking garage that holds approximately 550 vehicles. The facility also includes geology laboratory space for processing of soil samples obtained during exploration.
The development team includes HOK / Mathes-Brierre Architects (interiors) and Forum Studio (shell building, site work and landscaping) as project architects, along with the MAPP / Clayco Joint Venture as general contractors.
About Koll Development Company
Koll Development Company (KDC), one of America’s leading commercial real estate firms, 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 Chevron Corporation
Chevron Corporation is one of the world’s leading integrated energy companies, with subsidiaries that conduct business across the globe. The company’s success is driven by the ingenuity and commitment of approximately 59,000 employees who operate across the energy spectrum. Chevron explores for, produces and transports crude oil and natural gas; refines, markets and distributes transportation fuels and other energy products; manufactures and sells petrochemical products; generates power and produces geothermal energy; provides energy efficiency solutions; and develops and commercializes the energy resources of the future, including biofuels and other renewables. Chevron is based in San Ramon, Calif. More information about Chevron is available at www.chevron.com.
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 nonprofit 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.