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1450 Brickell Tower Becomes Miami's First LEED Gold Office Building

Commercial News » Commercial Real Estate Edition | By Michael Gerrity | September 2, 2010 11:14 AM ET



(MIAMI, FL) -- Just days after unveiling that 1450 Brickell now has 226,000 square feet of office space leased, the project's developer announced today that the 'class-A' building has been awarded LEED Gold certification by the U.S. Green Building Council. The LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Green Building Rating System is the nation's accepted benchmark for the design, construction and operation of environmentally-sound buildings. This makes 1450 Brickell the Downtown Miami/Brickell market's first and only office tower to achieve LEED Gold status in the core and shell category, which applies to new construction.

The 35-story, 582,817 square foot office tower's LEED Gold certification coincides with receipt of its Certificate of Occupancy, which verifies that the building is in compliance with all local building codes and is safe for permanent occupancy.

"In earning its LEED Gold certification, 1450 Brickell has set a new standard for the sustainable design and construction of new commercial office buildings in Miami," said Alan Ojeda, CEO of Rilea Group, developer of 1450 Brickell. "As tenants seek opportunities to become more environmentally-conscious in line with their business principles, properties like 1450 Brickell will stand out from the competition. Recognizing this trend toward green buildings and the cost efficiencies created by sustainable design, we set out to build Miami's most sustainable office tower. We are now seeing this commitment materialize in the form of strong leasing activity among the market's top-tier corporate tenants."

1450 Brickell features a range of efficient strategies and technologies that enhance the health and productivity of its tenants while reducing waste and promoting environmental sustainability.

Highlights include:

  • Recycled construction waste: Approximately 78% of the project's construction waste was recycled, with 40% of all materials coming from sources within 500 miles of the construction site.
  • Energy efficiency: The tower saves more than 14% more energy than standard buildings built to code.
  • Water system efficiency: The tower's low-flow water fixtures are projected to save over 2.5 million gallons of water per year (more than 40% over standard buildings built to code).
  • The tower offers preferred parking spaces allocated for low emission, fuel-efficient vehicles.
  • Pedestrian and cyclist-friendly amenities: The tower features 44 bike racks as well as shower and changing facilities.

"1450 Brickell's development team took a big risk five years ago in setting out to build a LEED Gold office tower at a time when there were no LEED buildings in Miami," said Rob Hink, a LEED Accredited Professional and Principal of the Spinnaker Group, 1450 Brickell's environmental consulting firm. "Now, 1450 Brickell stands alone as the only newly constructed LEED Gold certified office tower in Downtown Miami, making it a model for green construction."

News of 1450 Brickell's LEED Gold certification follows a string of transactions that bring the total amount of leased space at the tower to more than 226,000 square feet. Tenants include Miami-based law firm Bilzin Sumberg, financial services firm BNY Mellon, executive recruitment firm Korn/Ferry International, Spanish financial institution Bancaja, private investment firm H.I.G. Capital, investment banking firm BroadSpan Capital, law firm Ratzan & Rubio, commercial reinsurance company International Broking Solutions, global commodities trader Yntegra, Kempler Energy, AgriCommodity Trade, and Preston III.

Beyond 1450 Brickell's sustainable features, tenants are drawn to the building's glass curtain wall system, which played an integral role in attaining LEED Gold status and sets new market standards in commercial building strength. Specifically, the curtain wall system improves impact resistance, solar performance, energy efficiency, sound attenuation and UV blocking. The glass façade, fabricated entirely of large-missile impact glass, was tested to withstand wind loads over 300 mph, making 1450 Brickell one of the nation's most wind-resistant office buildings. The tower also has two generators, one for use in emergencies and another that can power tenants' basic electrical needs during outages.

Designed by Miami-based architecture firm NBWW & Associates and constructed by Coastal Construction, 1450 Brickell offers sweeping views of Biscayne Bay, Brickell Avenue, and the city of Miami. Floor-to-ceiling windows and wide-open floor plates range in size from 24,000 square-feet to 25,600 square-feet and maximize the flow of natural light throughout tenant areas.




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