Advance Will Also Work with Tenants to Secure LEED-CI Ratings
Advance Realty Group, a leading Northeast U.S. owner and developer of Class A office properties, today announced that it is targeting LEED-EB (existing buildings) rating for Advance @ Southgate, one of the company’s signature Class A “World Class Business Environments.” Addressing operations, maintenance and system retrofits for ongoing certification of building performance, LEED-EB is the only LEED rating system that projects can use after the design and construction phases.
A four-story, 320,000-square-foot building located at 445 South Street in Morris Township, N.J., Advance @ Southgate recently underwent a more than $20 million transformation that included several systems to help it qualify for LEED-EB rating, including hands-free sinks and toilet flushing devices in the bathrooms to control water consumption. Advance also installed a building management system to properly control the building’s HVAC and lighting, which increases building efficiencies while also making it more comfortable for tenants.
Additional elements to earning a LEED-EB rating will come from numerous greening initiatives planned for tenant occupancy. These include recycling, everything from traditional paper/bottles/cans/etc. to light bulbs, computer equipment and ceiling tiles; and green cleaning, which includes using environmentally friendly Green Seal cleaning products, consumable products (such as paper towels/toilet paper) made with recycled content, and the use of HEPA vacuum cleaning equipment to further enhance the indoor air quality.
The company is also planning to work with tenants on achieving LEED-CI (Commercial Interiors) rating, which is applicable to tenant improvements of new or existing office space. LEED-CI is the green benchmark for certifying high-performance green interiors that are healthy, productive places to work; are less costly to operate and maintain; and have a reduced environmental footprint. LEED-CI gives the power to make sustainable choices to tenants and designers, who do not always have control over whole building operations
“In the United States, buildings use one-third of our total energy, two-thirds of our electricity, one-eighth of our water, and transform land that provide valuable ecological resources,” says Kurt Padavano, COO of Advance Realty Group. “Green design not only makes a positive impact on public health and the environment, it also reduces operating costs, enhances building and organizational marketability, potentially increases occupant productivity, and helps create a sustainable community. LEED fits into this market by providing rating systems that are voluntary, consensus-based, market-driven, based on accepted energy and environmental principles, and they strike a balance between established practices and emerging concepts. We expect an increase in interest from both midsize and large tenants now that the building is fully renovated and can offer LEED designations.”
In addition to the aforementioned initiatives, Advance Realty group recently announced that, in an effort to further expand its green and sustainability practices, it had accepted the Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) International’s 7-Point Challenge. Advance Realty Group will work in coordination with Advance @ Southgate building management and tenants to achieve the following:
1. Continue working toward a goal of decreasing energy consumption by 30 percent across its portfolios by 2012, as measured against an average building;
2. At least once a year, benchmark the company’s energy performance and water usage through EPA’s ENERGY STAR benchmarking tool and share results with BOMA;
3. Provide education to its managers, engineers, and others involved in building operations to ensure that equipment is properly installed, commissioned, maintained and utilized;
4. Perform an energy audit and/or retro-commissioning of its buildings, and implement low-risk, low-cost and cost-effective strategies to improve energy efficiency with high returns;
5. Extend equipment life by improving the operations and maintenance of building systems and ensure equipment is operating as designed;
6. Through leadership, positively impact communities and the planet by helping to reduce our industry’s role in global warming; and
7. Position Advance Realty Group and the industry as leaders and solution providers to owners and tenants seeking environmental and operational excellence.
Advance @ Southgate features a dramatic new entryway and two-story lobby, an upgraded roof and elevator system, new bathrooms, HVAC system, tenant lobbies, common areas and windows, as well as amenities such as a conference center, café, fitness center and covered parking. The building is only 18 miles from Newark Liberty International Airport, five minutes from Morristown Airport, and has immediate access to I-287, with its close connections to Route 24 and I-80, as well as commuter rail that provides direct access to Manhattan from the nearby Morristown, Madison and Convent Station train stations. Area amenities include the Park Avenue Club, Dolce International’s Hamilton Park Hotel & Conference Center, such prestigious hotels as the Hyatt and Westin, and the downtown centers of Morristown and Madison. The property is also served by the NJ Transit “Wheels” transit shuttle, which provides daily pick-up and drop-off service to and from the nearby train stations.
About Advance Realty Group
Headquartered in Bedminster, N.J., Advance Realty Group is an owner and developer of office, flex, industrial, retail and multifamily properties. With 4.5 million square feet of operating properties and a development portfolio consisting of eight million square feet of commercial projects and 9,400 residential units, Advance is one of the leading real estate owners in the Northeast. For more information, call Advance Realty Group at (908) 719-3000 or visit www.advancerealtygroup.com.
