GAINESVILLE - Carroll Daniel Construction Company announced Tuesday that a recently completed construction project at the Mansfield Oil corporate office in Gainesville has been awarded LEED Silver certification from the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC).

It is the first building in Hall County to receive LEED-certification at any level. The LEED rating system, developed by the USGBC is the foremost program for buildings, homes and communities that are designed, constructed, maintained and operated for improved environmental and human health performance. LEED certification is the recognized standard for measuring building sustainability.

Carroll Daniel began construction in August 2011 on a 10,000-square-foot office renovation. The project consisted of turning existing warehouse space into a two-level office building that will house approximately 40 staff members on the first floor and potential meeting space on the second floor.

LEED Silver certification is awarded on a point scale judged by the USGBC. Projects receive points based on implementation of sustainable building practices in each of six major categories: sustainable sites, water efficiency, energy and atmosphere, materials and resources, indoor environmental quality, and innovation in design. Sustainable components of the Mansfield project included enhanced heating and air systems to improve indoor air quality and efficient electrical and plumbing fixtures throughout. Additionally, the project utilized local building materials produced within close proximity to Hall County.

The facility reduces energy consumption by employing a 100kw array of solar panels installed on the roof of Mansfield's Gainesville headquarters. There are three-hundred-twenty-four 305-watt multicystalline Siliken solar modules on the 18,000-square-foot roof. The project was also awarded points for being administered by a LEED-accredited professional on the project team at Carroll Daniel who had been trained and accredited by the USGBC on the LEED process.

The Mansfield Oil Build Out Project has been named a first-place award recipient in two divisions of the Associated General Contractors 2012 Build Georgia Awards Program. The project was awarded first place honors in the Best Sustainable Building Practices category for design/build renovation projects.

Building owners are increasingly interested in exploring options that reduce a facilitys operational cost by reducing energy and water consumption and increasing the efficiency of building systems," Brian Daniel said. "Carroll Daniel Construction is very proud to be a leader in sustainable building solutions in the southeastern United States.

Follow this link:
Mansfield Oil project receives first LEED Certification in Hall Co.

Chris Williams | 10/16/2012 The Williston building department set a record last year, approving 9-hundred and 29 permits that totaled over 350 million dollars in construction costs.

Not even one year later, that record is on track to be surpassed.

So far this year, there have been 8-hundred and 56 permits approved, and as the building department enters one if it`s busiest times of the year, they expect last years record to be broken.

Piles of building plans are everywhere around the building department`s office.

"We`ve got huge huge projects going on. Steel structures, wood frame. Four, three bedroom apartments four stories high three stories high, and single family residence," said Building Inspector Al Christensen.

There are three building inspectors in the city. Two of them work on commercial buildings, and another on residential housing.

"All day long we`re moving. I might go to the same site everyday for a month straight. Between the three of us we`re trying to do plan review, and we`re grabbing our stuff and heading out," added Christensen.

With winter about 2 months away, construction crews are flooding the building department with permits. They want to get concrete poured before the ground freezes.

They are short staffed, and the permits are coming in at record breaking pace, but the building department is still managing to approve permits rather quickly.

"We`re under six weeks, and that`s pretty good for commercial projects and we`re less than two weeks for houses. That`s unheard of," Christensen added.

Continued here:
Building Inspectors Busy | Video

NEW YORK, Oct. 17, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- WilmerHale announced today that its New York office has been awarded LEED(R) Gold certification. The LEED rating system, developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), is the foremost program for buildings, homes and communities that are designed, constructed, maintained and operated for improved environmental and human health performance. The law firm is one of only three in the city of New York known to have earned this recognition.

WilmerHale's LEED Gold certification is the result of efforts that began upon construction of its space at 7 World Trade Center (WTC), which the firm has officially called home since July 2012. The firm's certification falls into the category of Commercial Interiors and credits WilmerHale with being at the forefront of environmental and sustainability initiatives.

"This is an important recognition that was achieved through our continued efforts on two very meaningful fronts--environmental sustainability and cost efficiency," said Charles Platt, partner-in-charge of WilmerHale's New York office. "We are proud to offer an impressive, modern and efficient space for our employees and clients."

The increased efficiency of WilmerHale's space at 7 WTC is critical to raising the quality of life for its lawyers and staff and to lowering costs. Helping to earn its LEED Gold certification, the space offers optimized energy performance when it comes to lighting, HVAC, equipment and appliances; reduced water usage; increased ventilation; convenient access to public transportation; as well as bike racks, changing rooms and showers. Various regional materials--defined as those manufactured within 500 miles of the project site--were used during construction of the office, while features such as glass-walled offices, which flood the interior space with natural light and reduce the need for corridor lighting, as well as Energy Star-rated appliances and equipment and ongoing storage and collection of recyclables, make for an efficient and environmentally considerate office.

"WilmerHale's LEED certification demonstrates tremendous green building leadership," said Rick Fedrizzi, president, CEO and founding chair of USGBC. "The urgency of USGBC's mission has challenged the industry to move faster and reach further than ever before, and WilmerHale serves as a prime example of just how much we can accomplish."

This is not the first recognition WilmerHale has received for its eco- and cost-conscious efforts. The firm previously made history when it announced, alongside Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg and World Trade Center developer Larry A. Silverstein, the signing of its lease at 7 WTC. This marked the first lease in the city to include energy-aligned language which allows the tenant and the owner to benefit from energy-efficient improvements while sharing in the costs to make the improvement attainable. A complement to WilmerHale's new status as LEED Gold, the lease promotes enhanced energy efficiency and sustainability. In addition, WilmerHale is an ABA-EPA Law Office Climate Challenge Partner, participating in a program established to encourage law offices to take steps to become better environmental and energy stewards.

LEED is an internationally recognized green building program that provides building owners and operators with a framework for identifying and implementing practical and measurable green building design, construction, operations and maintenance solutions. LEED for Commercial Interiors is the recognized system for certifying high-performance green tenant spaces that are healthy, productive places to work; are less costly to operate and maintain; and have a reduced environmental footprint. It gives tenants and designers, who do not always have control over whole building operations, the power to make sustainable choices. Making these choices during tenant improvements and interior renovations can dramatically affect the indoor environment. This rating system was developed specifically for tenants in commercial and institutional buildings who lease their space or don't occupy the entire building.

Lauren G. Coppola

Senior Public Relations Specialist, WilmerHale

1 (617) 526 6998

Read more:
WilmerHale's New York Office Awarded LEED(R) Gold Certification

10/17/2012

by Karen Brune Mathis, Managing Editor

Barry Darnell, St. Vincents system director of major construction, said the building should open in early October 2013 on the same day as the St. Vincents Medical Center Clay County.

Plans shows the office building will be a 60,090-square-foot, three-story structure on 4.72 acres on the hospital campus at Blanding Boulevard and Branan Field Road.

Johnson Development is the developer and Prosser Hallock is shown on plans as the engineer.

Darnell said St. Vincents is leasing the ground to Johnson Development, based in Birmingham, Ala., for development. He said the company specializes in medical office buildings.

Darnell said Johnson Development will negotiate the tenants and leases. St. Vincents said the hospital will use 20,000 square feet of space there for some of its departments and physicians.

Darnell said the parcel could support another medical office building, but there was no timetable for construction.

Darnell said the shell of the medical office building will cost about $10 million and the build-out is about $5 million.

He also estimates it will create about 125 construction jobs and 250-300 medical and related jobs within the building once completed.

Go here to see the original:
Construction starting in 60 days on $15 million Clay medical office building

Project Manager leads local group through green construction process at Federal Office Building 8

Washington, DC (PRWEB) October 16, 2012

Director of Public Programs at the National Building Museum, Paul Killmer said, One of the most interesting aspects of the building was the insertion of the atrium space, creating a lightwell which is a component integral in achieving LEED Gold Certification. The group also marveled at the enlargement and treatment of the windows, the beautiful floating staircase, and the green roof which protects the building and surrounding area from storm and water damage.

Last September, Turner Construction Company was named the number one green builder in the country by Engineering News-Record for the fifth year in a row. With the largest LEED-accredited staff in the United States, Turners commitment to sustainability goes beyond job sites and certifications and translates to operations and community outreach. The company was recognized in twenty-three categories by the publication and also ranked number one in general construction, education, healthcare, correctional facilities and pharmaceutical. and commercial facilities by the publication.

About Turner Construction Company

Turner is a North America-based, international construction services company. Founded in 1902 in New York City, Turner has 5,200 employees worldwide and works on 1200 projects each year, for an annual construction volume of $8 billion. As the largest general builder in the United States, Turner ranks first or second in the major market segments of the building construction field, including healthcare, education, sports, commercial, and green building. The firm is a subsidiary of HOCHTIEF, a publicly traded company, and one of the worlds leading international construction service providers.

For more information please visit http://www.turnerconstruction.com.

About HOCHTIEF

HOCHTIEF is one of the leading international providers of construction-related services. With more than 80,000 employees and a sales volume of EUR 23.28 billion in FY 2011, the company is represented in all the worlds major markets. With its core competencies in development, building and operation, the Group delivers services for the entire life cycle of infrastructure projects, real estate and facilities. The focus of the related business activities is on four strategic areas: energy infrastructure, transportation infrastructure, major cities, and resources. With its subsidiary Leighton (HOCHTIEF share around 54 percent), the Group is market leader in Australia. In the USA, the biggest construction market in the world, HOCHTIEF is the No. 1 general builder via its subsidiary Turner and, with Group company Flatiron, ranks among the most important players in the field of transportation infrastructure construction. Because of its engagement for sustainability, HOCHTIEF has been listed in the Dow Jones Sustainability Indexes since 2006. Further information is available at http://www.hochtief.com/press.

Kali Bowers Turner Construction Company 2028982526 Email Information

More:
Turner Construction Company Hosts The National Building Museum Construction Watch Tour

GRAND RAPIDS, MI Of all the energy-efficient and LEED-certified buildings in the world, a little brick office building at 502 Second St. NW stands as the LEED champ.

The owners of Catalyst Partners and M Retail Solutions said Monday their 95-year-old office building has earned a LEED Platinum certification from the U.S. Green Building Council, with 66 of 69 points awarded.

Its the most points to date of any project in the world under the LEED for New Construction v2.2 Rating System, according to Catalyst Partners President Keith Winn and M Retail Solutions President Chris Muller.

The cool part is that this little building can achieve such a distinction, said Muller, sitting in a roomy conference area that once housed a tool and die shop and before that, a flour mill.

Grand Rapids was known to have the highest number of LEED-certified projects per capita and now we have the honor of having the project with the highest number of LEED points in the world, within our city limits, said Mayor George Heartwell, in a news release.

This LEED Platinum project, located in the citys West Side neighborhood, will continue to serve as a catalyst for sustainable and restorative development in Grand Rapids and the West Michigan area for many years to come, Heartwell said.

Built 95 years ago as a fireproof building for the Watkins Higgins Milling Co., the structure is now chock full of the latest in energy-efficient engineering while retaining a cool loft-style ambiance.

It features a state-of-the-art geothermal heating and cooling system, solar panels on the roof and re-purposed materials that include the former gym floor from Iroquois Middle School and doors from the Harrison Park Elementary School.

Outside, all of the rainwater that falls on the property flows to a rain garden. Elsewhere on the property, theres a neighborhood garden and native plants that were rescued by students from Calvin College and Grand Valley State University.

Besides having an office building that is 60 percent less expensive to operate than a traditional office space, the building also serves as a showcase for the owners talents in finding and creating energy efficiencies.

Read more:
Little brick building on Grand Rapids' West Side achieves the world's highest LEED rating

BUILDING PERMITS

Boulder

Building construction permits over $10,000 in value that were approved in Boulder between Oct. 1 and Oct. 7, 2012. Listed below are: the case number; address; total project valuation; owner name; contractor (if applicable); and description.

PMT2012-02980; 3080 Broadway; $324,000; Attention Inc.; Symmetry Builders Inc.; addition and remodel for Attention Homes residential care facility, increasing from 12 to 20 beds. See ADR2012-00044 and ADR2012-00045 for minor modification and conditional use review. See case notes for floor area calculations.

PMT2012-04167; 4950 Thunderbird Drive; $22,404; Frasier Meadows; Frasier Meadows Manor; interior remodel of 300 square feet of an existing assisted living facility to create a new memory care unit, includes installation of new secure entries, new emergency exit, and new resident lounge area. All exterior work through separate permit. Associated electrical and mechanical.

PMT2012-04281; 933 Mapleton Ave.; $130,000; Michael Sherman; Sugarloaf Building Co. Inc.; construction of a new detached accessory building -- 344 square feet with half-bath and 129-square-foot porch. Associated electrical, mechanical and plumbing. See HIS2012-00172 for approved landmark alteration certificate.

PMT2012-04332; 765 Hartford Drive; $88,226; Gerald and Natasha Rigg; second story addition of 858 square feet and remodel of 130 square feet to existing single-family residence, addition to include new master bedroom, study, bath and reading room. New front porch of 96 square feet and second level deck of 100 square feet. Associated electrical, mechanical and plumbing.

PMT2012-04539; 1720 14th St.; $28,000; 1720 Building; City of Boulder; interior tenant remodel of 418 square feet of office area for Information Resources Landlink replacement and TBBI projects.

PMT2012-04795; 836 13th St.; $19,550; Spruce Street; Sobo Design and Build; remodel existing three-car detached garage at rear of property, scope of work includes installation of exterior stucco, replace existing garage doors with new overhead doors, associated electrical work.

PMT2012-04801; 4949 Pearl East Circle; $25,054; P125678 LLC; Rincon Development Inc.; Suite 300 interior demolition and new construction of non-load bearing partition walls, interior remodel of 340 square feet.

Read more from the original source:
Boulder building permits: Oct. 15, 2012

Mobile trailers for construction sites are now available at Mobileofficequotes.com, making it easy to get some office space and employee areas set up fast.

(PRWEB) October 15, 2012

By providing quotes for mobile trailers for construction sites, Mobileofficequotes makes it easy to get set up for a new project quickly and easily. Mobile trailers for construction sites are typically used as office space for meetings, as break rooms for employees and for storage. They are a popular choice for construction sites, as they can be rented and delivered for a certain period of time and then are picked up once the project has been completed.

In addition to providing quotes for mobile trailers for construction projects, mobileofficequotes.com also provides quotes on steel buildings, modular buildings and storage units. The expert staff is trained to provide competitive quotes for homes and businesses that are looking to expand their physical space without building a new building from scratch, and can make recommendations based on the needs of the building owner. The services are designed to be easy to use, providing fast delivery and quick set up to get businesses up and running in no time.

Since 2010, mobileofficequotes.com has been the leading quote provider for mobile office rentals, storage containers, steel buildings and modular buildings. Dedicated to providing the highest level of service, customers can request free quotes online by submitting their contact information, along with a short online form, at mobileofficequotes.com.

Tyler Smith Mobileofficequotes.com 248-686-2646 Email Information

Link:
Mobile Trailers for Construction Sites Now Available at Mobileofficequotes.com

WILLISTON, N.D. When the Williston Building Department receives a delivery of new plans to review, they joke with the delivery driver to take them back.

The department is trying to keep up as its on track to break last years record of 929 building permits totaling nearly $358 million.

At the end of September, the department had already approved 856 permits totaling nearly $288 million.

Now were getting bombarded because its fall and everyone wants to start work before it freezes, said Kelly Aberle, office manager and plans examiner for the Williston Building Department. It gets overwhelming at times.

It takes four to six weeks for the city to complete commercial plan reviews, and about three to four weeks for residential projects, Aberle said.

We try to get them out as fast as we can, Aberle said. Some days you wonder when its going to stop.

The office has seven workers now, compared with three employees three years ago, she said. They plan to add more staff, but theyre already running out of space in the office they moved into just two years ago.

I think for the most part we have a great handle on making sure things are being done properly and to code, Aberle said.

Williams County also is seeing an intense pace of construction. Building inspector Jim Horton projects the county will exceed 600 building permits this year. Last year the county approved more than 400, he said.

Horton drove 962 miles in one week recently to complete building inspections in the county, including the cities of Tioga and Ray.

Read more here:
Williston building inspectors busy with fast pace of construction

London, Oct 14 (IANS) Architects and engineers are reviving the use of wood as an eco-friendly replacement for concrete, as borne out by the completion of an eight-storey office building in Austria and residential block in London.

The LCT One building in Dornbirn, Austria, is a 'hybrid' building made from both wood and concrete and designed by Austrian architectural firm Cree. Assembled from solid panels made from layers of wood and other materials, the high-tech building has a central concrete core housing its lifts and utilities.

From a concrete foundation, vertical posts of glue-laminated wood (known as glulam) support hybrid floor panels made from more glulam beams embedded in reinforced concrete.

Made by sticking together smaller pieces of wood to create structural elements, glulam can resist compression better than concrete - but weighs much less and is more sustainable, the Daily Mail reports.

Cree claims that prefabricating the glulam elements of the building cuts construction time by half, guarantees quality and slashes the buildings' carbon footprint.

Concrete emits nearly its own weight in carbon dioxide as its produce; the raw material for wooden skyscrapers, by contrast, literally grows on trees and absorbs carbon from the air as it does so.

Residents of the 21 timber houses which make up Sinclair Meadows in South Shields area of London can sleep cosily in the knowledge that they live in the most eco-friendly social housing development in the UK.

Householders will benefit from some of the lowest energy bills in the country as the complex has the largest array of solar panels on domestic dwellings, which will provide electricity.

Read more:
Wooden high rises eco-friendly replacement for concrete