December 7, 2006
  Signature Centre Achieves LEED Platinum at No Additional Cost
Architect and developer team prove good design is good business
The Signature Centre at Denver West is the first commercial LEED® Platinum building in Colorado and, according to the developer, the largest speculative Platinum project in the U.S. Designed by Binh Vinh, AIA, and built by developer Aardex, LLC, the 186,000-square-foot Signature Centre was designed to meet the collective needs of the community, the occupants, and the environment. While many speculative projects are commissioned for the greatest return on the cheapest design and construction, the Signature Centre illuminates that speculative building doesn’t have to neglect sustainability to turn that buck.

Masterful Appeal
Gensler New York City office tries to be all things to all clients
Gensler’s new Rockefeller Center office, which the firm designed themselves, uses dueling materialities to showcase their design skill and impress a wide range of clients. The facility is also LEED® Silver-certified, and staff have been hosting “eco-tours” that show visitors and clients how they can apply green and sustainable building practices.

Centers for Disease Control Building Becomes First Federal Lab to Earn LEED Gold
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Laboratory Sciences Building 110 in Atlanta is the first federal government laboratory to earn LEED® Gold certification. International architecture firm Perkins+Will’s sustainable design features maximum light distribution in open laboratories, recyclable materials, and a landscape design featuring plantings and cisterns to capture storm water. The energy-efficient design is estimated to provide an annual energy savings of $175,000. Perkins+Will Design Director Manuel Cadrecha, AIA, says that his firm maximized the beneficial impact of smart green design at every opportunity for the lab.

 

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Here is where you will find our weekly Project Watch, short vignettes on notable projects in this country and abroad. The Design Zone is also where you will find coverage of awards programs, including the national Honor Awards as well as state and local component awards.