Wind-Powered CBRE D.C. Office Earns LEED Gold

CB Richard Ellis Inc. has received a LEED Gold certification for Commercial Interiors for its recently completed offices in the Victor Building in Washington, D.C. The Victor Building is at 750 9th St., N.W., and is the first CBRE office in the country to win such an ranking.The office space is supplied now with 100…

CB Richard Ellis Inc. has received a LEED Gold certification for Commercial Interiors for its recently completed offices in the Victor Building in Washington, D.C. The Victor Building is at 750 9th St., N.W., and is the first CBRE office in the country to win such an ranking.The office space is supplied now with 100 percent wind power provided by EnerNOC/Native Energy. Because CBRE’s Washington, D.C., office purchased wind power for its operation, it now has an operational carbon footprint of zero. CBRE is quantifying the energy saved plus the cost reduction associated, and the results will be available January 2009. Sally Wilson, Global Director of Environmental Strategy for CBRE, told CPN, “What is exciting about this project is that CBRE took what would normally be a traditional space and transformed it into a LEED Gold CI space, demonstrating to ourselves, our clients and others in our market that a) it can be done, b) we’ve done it, c) it will produce desired results.” The office received a total of 39 out of 57 points in its LEEDS assessment – almost the 32 needed to receive the top certification–Platinum. CBRE signed the lease for 65,000 square feet on the top two floors of the building. The lease had to happen within a year, due to the CBRE and Trammell Crow merger. Nonetheless, CBRE was able to make changes and modifications to the lease, in order to support and move towards achieving LEED-CI standards such as the ability to sub meter and pay directly for electric consumption. One item of note: The roof has been partially converted. Previously the roof had a ballast of river rock on top of it. CBRE replaced this with a non-irrigated planted area, surrounded by white, decorative stone and pavers, which reduce the heat load on the building by reflecting the sun’s rays. Said Wilson, “The planted area retains rain water, mitigates storm water run off, and creates an additional insulator and cooling effect for the building.” The result is a wonderful natural environment where staff can experience it from the inside and outside as well as one that reduces our consumption of natural resources, namely water and energy.” Washington, DC is the first CBRE office to be powered solely on wind power. The company is currently assessing where it is viable to be powered by 100 percent renewable energy in other CBRE offices.

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