IBC continues to work with GSA and our Design and Build partners, CannonDesign and Centerre Construction, to modernize and transform Building 48 from its current state to a modern sustainable office. Over the next few weeks, we will share features you can look forward to in our new workplace. Visit the Denver Move portal to find previous messages.
Building 48 – Going Green
Building 48 is striving to achieve sustainability through practices and certifications including Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED), Net Zero Energy (NZE), and Sustainable SITES.
The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification is a third-party green building system developed and certified by the US Green Building Council (USGBC). LEED is the most widely used certification program globally, with more than 94,000 projects in over 165 countries and territories. LEED certification has several rating levels and requires USGBC verification of sustainability measures before final certification is granted. The goal for the Building 48 project is LEED Gold Certification under the guidelines for New Construction v4.
Some areas in which Building 48 will realize sustainability include construction pollution prevention, light pollution reduction, daylighting, green cleaning program, waste management and recycling, renewable energy production, indoor and outdoor water use reduction, electric car charging stations, and indoor air quality management.
A Zero Energy Building (ZEB), also known as a Net Zero Energy (NZE) building, or a Zero Net Energy (ZNE) building, is a building with net zero energy consumption. This means the total amount of energy used by the building on an annual basis is equal to the amount of renewable energy created on the site. The goal is that these buildings contribute less overall, on average, greenhouse gas to the atmosphere during operations than similar non-NZE buildings.
SITES certification acknowledges landscapes that protects ecosystems. These landscapes enhance climate regulation, carbon storage, and flood mitigation. Sustainable SITES generate less waste, minimize impacts on the landscape, and use less energy, water, and natural resources.
