Terraces at Copley Point Earns LEED Certification

Terraces at Copley Point marks the third LEED certified building completed by Reno Contracting

The U.S. Green building Council (USGBC) has awarded Terraces at Copley Point, Buildings I and II with LEED Silver certification for Core and Shell. Both buildings are part of the Terraces at Copley Point office campus, which consists of two steel-framed buildings totaling 530,000 square feet, plus an adjacent 3-story concrete open-air parking structure. Completed last fall, Terraces at Copley is located in Kearny Mesa, with access from both the Interstate 805 and Highway 52.

LEED for Core ∓ Shell is a category in the USGBC’s green building rating system for designers, builders, developers and new building owners who want to address sustainable design for new core and shell construction. Core and shell covers base building elements such as structure, envelope and the HVAC system.

These are the third and fourth buildings completed by Reno that have been LEED certified, with another four projects awaiting final certification review.

This announcement marks the second milestone in recent months for the Terraces campus. In May, the American Concrete Institute San Diego Chapter’s Awards Committee presented the Reno Contracting team, as well as architects Hanna Gabriel Wells and Bomel Construction, with its "Parking Structure Award" for 2009.

New Green Building Services Brand Highlights Reno’s Commitment to Meeting Client’s Sustainability Goals

This month, Reno Contracting is debuting a full-service LEED & Energy Star program, aligning themselves with prominent architects and engineers in Southern California. This initiative captures our commitment to buildings that are more economic and environmentally sound. The work includes the design and construction of new buildings, as well as retrofitting existing facilities, to contribute to USGBC LEED certification, Energy Star Ratings, substantial utility rebates and the overall enhanced sustainability of the structure. Another aspect of the program involves providing architectural services, as well as mechanical and electrical engineering and commissioning.

“We have assembled a design build team ready to deliver measurable ROI to clients by applying tailored sustainability services and practices to their building,” said Reno President Walt Fegley, Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) is a building rating system implemented by the US Green Building Council (USGBC). The goal of the rating systems are to insure that buildings meet requirements of low levels of energy consumption and increased levels indoor environmental quality, all while maintaining a minimal impact on the building’s surroundings. Through enhanced design of building systems and proper selection of construction material, LEED buildings consume less power and water, provide a healthier indoor environment, and produce less waste by lower consumption and recycling.

The US EPA’s Energy Star program has developed energy performance rating systems for sever commercial and institutional building types and manufacturing facilities. These ratings, on a scale of 1 to 100, provide a means for benchmarking the energy efficiency of specific buildings and industrial plants against the energy performance of similar facilities. Beginning January 2010, all buildings that will be leased or have space leased must have an energy star rating according to AB 1103.

“We are bringing together design and construction professionals with the unique green building knowledge and expertise required to meet our client’s sustainability goals and new California law,” said Fegley. “In addition to being a turn-key source for building services, the owner can be assured that we will handle the entire LEED certification and rebate application process.

“Our intention is to benefit building owners, tenants and the communities they serve,” he added. For a complimentary consultation on how the economics of LEED will benefit your building, the new AB 1103, energy audits and learn more about available incentives, please contact Reno Contracting's LEED AP Division. Reno will be announcing more information about its new LEED & Energy Star program in the weeks ahead.

LEEDing Solutions: In Action

A typical Reno LEED EBOM project consists of the following services:

• Documenting the existing building condition
• Identifying areas that already contribute, while pinpointing repairs and modifications that would help boost the facilities’ overall sustainability
• Completing a LEED for EBOM scorecard to identify a proposed certification level, based upon the existing conditions and suggested renovations
• Calculating costs for suggested renovations and LEED certification
• Calculating available utility rebates based upon the existing conditions and suggested renovations
• Presenting findings and make final recommendations to the client.