Kane Realty Corporation and Duke Realty Corporation announced the 17-story, mixed-use CAPTRUST Tower at North Hills is pursuing LEED Silver certification for New Construction, making it the first speculative office building seeking that level of certification for sustainable building in the Triangle.
Kane is developing North Hills according to smart growth and new urbanism principles to make the community inherently more sustainable, but LEED Silver certification of the CAPTRUST Tower by the USGBC will offer third party validation of the building's environmentally sustainable features. The USGBC will review the CAPTRUST Tower's certification application and rate it based on the inclusion of building characteristics that have less of an impact on the environment, are healthier for those who work or live in the building, and are more efficient than their conventional counterparts.
Despite higher initial investments, developers and employers increasingly value sustainable building practices. Employers also express interest in sustainable office spaces because employees increasingly say they'd rather work for employers who are conscious of their company's impact on the environment. According to a 2007 Cone Cause Evolution survey, 77 percent of Americans make decisions on where they would like to work based on a company's social commitments, including environmentalism.
Kane and Duke expect the CAPTRUST Tower will earn LEED Silver certification for various attributes such as:
Energy management, including high-efficiency heating, ventilation and air-conditioning systems. A new Web-based project management system will enable online monitoring, adjustment of temperature controls and demand control ventilation.A construction waste management program with a goal to divert more than 75 percent of waste from the landfill.Water-efficient plumbing fixtures.Use of regionally manufactured and recycled materials.Use of only certified wood products recognized by the Forest Stewardship Council.Specifying low-VOC (volatile organic compounds)-emitting construction materials to improve indoor air quality and occupant health.Access to mass transit and preferred parking for fuel-efficient vehicles.Highly reflective roof surfaces for a reduction in heat island effect caused by development.
Kane and Duke encourage construction partners to adopt environmentally friendly policies. Duke also has committed LEED accredited professionals and those with experience in LEED certification and green building technologies to the CAPTRUST Tower project. This team includes Duke's preconstruction manager David Parker and preconstruction director Jim Tully. Kane's team also includes two LEED accredited professionals, Will Stronach and Bonner Gaylord.
After breaking ground in March 2008, construction on the CAPTRUST Tower is well under way. The foundation concrete has been poured, and crews are working on the building superstructure. The building is scheduled to open in fall 2009 and will be the tallest building on the I-440 beltline.
In addition to 300,000 square feet of Class A office space, the first floor will feature 28,000 square feet of restaurants and retail, including an upscale restaurant. Just outside of the building's doors are more than 25 restaurants and cafes, a 60,000-square-foot athletic club, upscale hotel, boutiques, shops, cinema, hundreds of residential choices, and green space.
