Greening San Diego, Building by Building

Located in North San Diego County, ViaSat’s Building 6 has been LEED-Certified Gold for Commercial Interiors by the USGBC. Completed in February 2009, Building 6 was a half-year renovation of an existing single-story, 67,200 square-foot structure.

LEED for Commercial Interiors is the green benchmark for the tenant improvement market. It is the recognized system for certifying high-performance green interiors that are healthy, productive places to work. LEED-certified interiors are less costly to operate and maintain and have a reduced environmental footprint.

Demolition and retrofit included:

• Existing offices and restrooms
  
• Main electric room and fixtures
  
• All of the existing roof top HVAC units

Retrofitting and build-out included:

• Roof structure underwent structural retrofit to accommodate new loads
  
• Condensing units for environmental chambers
  
• Suspended ceilings and electrical bus duct in the manufacturing area
  
• New main electric room
  
• Office spaces and kitchenette
  
• Shipping and receiving area with loading dock
  
• Vibe room and manufacturing area

ViaSat is already seeing the benefits of their green retrofit. Upon completion of the project, they received a rebate for incorporating energy efficient equipment and fixtures into the project. This is the sixth project that Reno has completed for ViaSat, having built the five-building concrete tilt-up campus in Carlsbad.

ViaSat produces satellite and other wireless communication products for fast, secure and efficient communications to any location for both government and commercial customers. Products include satellite networks, terminals and processors for wireless military communications, secure networking devices and wireless test and training systems.

The project architect was San Diego-based Ferguson Pape Baldwin Architects.

Reno continues to "green" San Diego with several of their projects either LEED certified or in progress for certification. Here's the run-down of Reno's green projects:

• ViaSat Building 6: Certified LEED Gold for Commercial Interiors
  
• Sabre Springs Phase II: Certified LEED Silver Core and Shell
  
• BioMed Realty: Submitted for LEED Silver Core and Shell Certification
  
• Terraces at Copley Point: Submitted for LEED Silver Core and Shell Certification
  
• Arena Pharmaceuticals: Submitted for LEED Gold for New Construction
  
• MedImpact Phase I: Planning for LEED Silver Core and Shell Certification

For a complimentary consultation on how the economics of LEED will benefit your building, contact Reno Contracting's LEED AP Division.

LEED AND EBOM: NOT JUST LETTERS. THEY’RE CHANGING THE WAY WE DO BUSINESS

Reno continues to grow its Green Building
Program. In addition to its work with LEED
(Leadership in Energy and Environmental
Design) for New Construction and Core &
Shell, the company is focused on
helping owners and managers of existing
buildings retrofit their structures to meet
Existing Building Operations and Maintenance
(LEED EBOM) standards. This can include
buildings seeking LEED certification for the
first time and projects previously certified
under LEED for New Construction, Schools, or
Core & Shell.

"The same benefits of 'building green' for new
construction apply to existing buildings," said
Eric Scheidlinger, one of Reno’s many LEED-Accredited Professionals. "By making the necessary changes to run more efficiently, a building can realize lower operating costs and increased asset value. Depending on its location, it can qualify for tax and utility rebates. So, in addition to demonstrating a commitment to environmental stewardship and social responsibility, there are real economic advantages."

Competitive Advantages

As tenants become green-savvy, they are seeking buildings that maximize operational efficiency while minimizing
environmental impact. Scheidlinger offered one example: “In many buildings, the tenant pays the power bill. By
recommissioning and upgrading the HVAC and electrical systems to run more efficiently, the building
owner is creating a more attractive work environment for the prospective occupant. It’s better for the
tenant, better for the environment, and ultimately, better for the owner.”

The U.S. Green Building Council's LEED Green Building Rating System was launched less than a decade
ago, and LEED EBOM was introduced three years later. The early assessment of the land, water, energy,
material and indoor environmental impacts of LEED are encouraging (see: Green Building Impact Report).

Given these considerations, increasing numbers of existing building owners are evaluating their LEED
options – according to “The Green Building Impact Report 2008” by Greener Buildings.com, new
registrations in LEED EBOM are catching up to that of LEED New Construction.

And Reno is positioned to help them.

For a complimentary consultation on how the economics of LEED will benefit your building, contact Reno Contracting's LEED AP Division.