Convention center gets nod from ‘green’ authority

PHOENIX — The U.S Green Building Council awarded the Phoenix Convention Center with a silver certificate for its efforts in building on sustainability.

The silver LEED certificate for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design is the council’s third-highest achievement award platinum and gold status.

The city received the award its West addition to the convention center because the building uses low flow toilets, special roofing, high-efficiency irrigation and an elaborate recycling program. Expansion construction manager Russell Alvarado says crews also used recycled material from the old Phoenix Civic Plaza building for the West addition.

“It’s quite an achievement,” says Taylor Demulder, a convention center spokesman. “Being recognized by LEED was well worth the time and funding put into sustaining the West Building. Hopefully more buildings and businesses will follow the trend in going green. Just by implementing low flow toilets, which is simple and cost-efficient…compared to traditional models.”

The West building recently added 732 peel-and-stick solar panels to help produce power for the Convention Center and reduce the carbon dioxide emissions by 95 metric tons a year, officials say. The panels, along with other energy saving techniques in the North building, were too expensive to be part of the silver LEED certification.

The West expansion began in 2006 and will eventually 2 million square feet of space, 900,000 of which will be leaseable. The $600 million project is being constructed in phases so that the Phoenix Convention Center can remain open for business.

The West building was completed in July 2006, and the North building is set for a grand opening in January 2009.

“When this expansion project is complete it will be the premier meeting destination,” says Jeremy Roberts, a Phoenix resident and convention center patron. “I have been using the Phoenix Convention Center for my business meetings for two years now, and the only negative aspect of the building was its need for additional space. It’s great to see that the city has taken initiative to build green. “

= = =

>>Email the editor at aklaw@zoniereport.com.