| Skanska USA Building doesn't just build green. It's also a client. New York GM Tom Webb tells us the firm renovated its own office on the 32nd floor of the Empire State Building to LEED Platinum, in part to demonstrate the economic effectiveness, and Tom gave us a window into life in the greenhouse. (And quite a big one—the Empire State Building was certified LEED–EB Gold last month after its $550M renovation).Bisnow: How do you encourage your employees to follow a sustainable lifestyle in the office?Tom: We have recycling stations throughout, installed bike racks,and fit our office out with a shower to encourage employees to usealternative modes of transportation to get to work.Bisnow: What makes it easier for employees to be more sustainable? Tom: All eight of our conference rooms have projectors instead of energy-intensive LCD screens, and we use Energy Star-ratedcomputers and appliances. In our bathrooms, we installed waterless urinals, low-flow toilets, and hand-sensored faucets to avoid wasting water. Bisnow: So tell us how LEED Platinum has returned the favor. Tom: We benefit from a 57% reduction in electricity costs compared to our prior office, projected to save Skanska $680k over our 15-year lease. This equates to a carbon-footprint reduction of nearly 80 tonsper year or removing 53 standard-size cars from the road. The two largest contributors are the daylight-based lighting scheme and theunder-floor air-distribution system, which together reduce electricity consumption by 27%. |
| We're guessing this car we snapped in a traffic jam in Rhode Islanden route to Cape Cod a few weeks ago isn't what Tom meant by "alternative modes of transportation." |
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