Since
one of the projects that The Conco Companies have been busy providing a range
of concrete services for is the first San Francisco building to be
pre-certified LEED Platinum, we will explain some of the criteria. Although the Salesforce Tower is not
scheduled for completion until sometime in early 2017, it has already been
awarded LEED’s CS Platinum.
LEED
certifications are awarded by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), and it
is an acronym for Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design. The USGBC defines it as a “green building
certification program that recognizes best-in-class building strategies and
practices.” Under their rating system
there are four certification levels for new construction, certified, silver, and
gold with platinum as the highest rating. The categories used to judge a building encompass
the following: sustainable sites, water efficiency, energy and atmosphere,
materials and resources and indoor environmental quality.
The
USGBC explains that Core and Shell (CS) is the green building system used to
certify the sustainable design and construction of speculative developments and
core and shell buildings. It covers the
construction of the base building elements, such as the structure, envelope along
with the building-level systems that include things like central HVAC, etc.
The
Salesforce Tower’s designation for the pre-certification LEED Core & Shell
(CS) Platinum springs from the fact that the skyscraper will in some cases
exceed the levels of sustainability that have been established under the most
up-to-date, stringent building codes. The
Tower is an exceptional example of sustainable design, construction and
financial feasibility. Highlights of the new skyscraper will include an under-floor
air distribution system, which will greatly reduce the HVAC and fan horsepower
energy that is required. Another
innovative feature is the comprehensive water recycling system in the tower
that will help to reduce water consumption 30% below code inside the building.
Conco is a leading supplier of
concrete services for the Western United States. We have built our reputation
with superior concrete formwork, reinforcing, place and finish, shotcrete and
other ancillary services that benefit from our vast experience. With four regional offices, we serve
California, Oregon, Washington, Nevada and Colorado.
Source:
usgbc.org/Docs/Archive/General/Docs3355.pdf
