First Highrise Platinum Certification from U.S. Green Building Council
and Governor Schwarzenegger's Environmental Leadership Award
The Joe Serna Jr.-Cal/EPA Headquarters Building in downtown
Sacramento, developed and operated by Thomas Properties Group
(Nasdaq:TPGI), has won two additional major green building awards --
the first highrise platinum certification from the U.S. Green Building
Council in its Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design --
Existing Building category, and California's highest and most
prestigious environmental recognition, the Governor's Environmental
and Economic Leadership Award.
The 25-story, 950,000-square-foot building earlier this year won
the 2004 Earth Award from the Building Owners & Managers Association
(BOMA) and was designated as one of the most energy efficient
highrises in the nation by Energy Star, a program of the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency.
"This project has shown us that green practices are not only good
for the planet but for the State's bottom line," said Randall L.
Scott, executive vice president of Thomas Properties Group, who leads
its asset management team. He notes, "The California Environmental
Protection Agency actively encourages our efforts by helping
coordinate sustainability initiatives and by being flexible in its
utilization of the building." He further pointed out that the City of
Sacramento, as owner of the building, provides the necessary
sponsorship to try new ideas.
Since development of the project began, Cal/EPA, the City of
Sacramento and Thomas Properties Group have viewed the building as a
working laboratory for green practices in a Class A highrise, Scott
added. "This is the type of building most often occupied by corporate
and professional America and we can offer solid evidence that being
green pays," he said.
"This is the greenest highrise in the nation," according to the
announcement from Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger's office citing the
building's leadership in state-of-the-art green operating practices.
The Cal/EPA headquarters not only received an award, but also hosted
this year's Governor's Environmental and Economic Leadership awards
ceremonies.
Green building practices have significantly reduced operating
expenses and management challenges at the Cal/EPA facility, according
to Scott. He said that bottom line savings are approximately $1 per
square foot compared with other downtown Sacramento building averages,
or more than $1 million annually. In addition, according to a report
commissioned by the State of California, productivity gains resulting
from green building strategies should bring significant, long-term
dollar savings to the building's tenant.
The Cal/EPA Headquarters is Sacramento's largest highrise. A
public/private partnership between the City of Sacramento and Thomas
Properties Group, the project development team included architects AC
Martin Partners, mechanical-electrical engineers Levine Seegel
Associates, interior designers IA Corporation, and construction
manager Turner Construction Corporation. The building was designed and
built using sustainable, yet economically competitive technologies,
materials, methods and processes, such as advanced cooling and
ventilation systems, photovoltaic co-generation, high-efficiency glass
and curtain wall components and low-gas and recycled construction
products.
Thomas Properties Group enhanced the green building design and
construction by implementing an aggressive program of green operating
techniques, reported Craig Sheehy, director of property management for
Thomas Properties Group. "We hope that this example will lead to
serious consideration by major tenants to use green building
techniques and materials for construction of their office and
industrial spaces and to implement green building management practices
for long-term savings and employee health," concludes Sheehy.
Green operating features at the Cal/EPA headquarters include:
- A comprehensive indoor air quality program involving
janitorial, landscape and maintenance practices that use
non-toxic, odor-free and biodegradable products enabling the
EPA to lead by example;
- A daytime janitorial system, lowering electrical consumption,
reducing the number of tenant service calls, and reducing
janitorial staff turnover substantially;
- An aggressive recycling program that reduces the building's
waste hauling costs and serves as a source of non-rental
revenue; and
- A vermi-composting system -- using worms that last year
devoured 10 tons of organic materials generated during food
preparation in the on-site cafeteria -- that creates a
nutrient rich soil amendment for the building's landscaping.
About Thomas Properties Group, Inc.
Founded in 1996 by James A. Thomas, Thomas Properties Group
acquires, develops and manages commercial real estate throughout the
United States for its own portfolio as well as third party and
institutional investors. The firm owns and manages more than seven
million square feet of office and retail space with an additional five
million square feet in pre-development. Headquartered in Los Angeles,
Thomas Properties Group maintains offices in Philadelphia, Sacramento,
Austin, Dallas and San Antonio. More information is available at
www.thomaspropertiesgroup.com and www.calepa.ca.gov.
SOURCE: Thomas Properties Group, Inc.
Thomas Properties Group
Barbara Casey, 310-396-2400
