OUR COMMITMENT TO ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY
|
What is LEED?
Our LEED Buildings
Our LEED Professionals
Environmental Awareness
Since our founding in 1991, Granite has placed a high priority on creating great working environments for our customers, while conserving natural resources. Although the terminology has changed over the years from “energy efficiency” to “green initiatives” to “environmental sustainability”, our firm’s commitment to these principles has remained consistent. |
 |
|
In 2001, shortly after the program’s inception, Granite voluntarily partnered with the U.S Environmental Protection Agency through Energy Star, a program designed to benchmark buildings’ energy consumption and rate their energy efficiency. In 2004, Granite became the first commercial real estate company in the country to be awarded EPA’s prestigious Energy Star “Leaders Top Performer” award in recognition of our superior energy performance across our office building portfolio. In 2008, Granite again received this honor, becoming the only commercial real estate firm to have won this award twice.
Further evidence of Granite’s commitment to sustainability may be found in our strong interest in pursuing Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification for not only our new office developments, but also our existing buildings. This certification program was developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) to promote reduced energy usage and greenhouse gas emissions in buildings, in addition to other environmental initiatives, and has quickly become the nation’s most well- regarded “green building” standard. Our two newest office projects have received LEED Gold and Silver pre-certifications, and four of our existing buildings are in the final performance period stage leading toward achieving LEED- EB certification.
Additionally, in August 2008, Granite became one of the first real estate firms to adopt the
“7–Point Challenge”… a comprehensive program developed by the Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) International to reduce the use of natural resources, non- renewable energy sources and waste production in commercial buildings.
WHAT IS LEED?
LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) is an internationally recognized certification system that measures how well a building or community performs across all the environmental metrics that matter most: energy savings, water efficiency, CO2 emissions reduction, improved indoor environmental quality, and stewardship of resources and sensitivity to their impacts. Developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), LEED provides building owners and operators a concise framework for identifying and implementing practical and measurable green building design, construction, operations and maintenance solutions.
OUR LEED BUILDINGS
LEED has evolved since its original inception in 1998. LEED certified buildings typically use resources more efficiently when compared to conventional buildings which are simply built to code. LEED certified buildings often provide healthier work and living environments, which contributes to higher productivity and improved employee health and comfort. The USGBC has compiled a long list of benefits of implementing a LEED strategy which ranges from improving air and water quality to reducing solid waste, benefitting owners, occupiers, and society as a whole.
 |
|
Park Seventeen
Dallas, Texas
We have opened the mixed-use development, Park Seventeen, consisting of residential, office, and retail space. Granite Properties is the project’s master developer and the office portion of the (DON’T KNOW WHY THIS |
SPACE IS SHOWING UP) project is Pre-Certified Gold LEED, under the core and shell version 2.0. Completion for Park Seventeen was April 2010.
 |
|
Granite Park I and II
Plano, Texas
In 2008, a comprehensive survey was conducted at Granite Park One and Granite Park Two to determine if it would be feasible to pursue LEED certification for these two buildings. Due to the elevated Energy Star |
ratings that have been achieved at both buildings, the decision was made to move forward with entering the LEED for Existing Buildings (EB) program. A consultant was hired and we began researching and inputting data in the LEED On-line website in February, 2009. Since then, we established benchmark numbers on our energy consumption, solid waste production, water consumption, operating expenses and building operations. We entered into an agreement with a janitorial company to begin green cleaning in June 2009. We hired a solid waste consultant to perform a waste audit. We met with our landscape and pest control contractors and implemented mutually agree upon green operating procedures. We reviewed our current waste Environmental program to determine if any changes would be beneficial.
Our performance period began June 1, 2009 and extended through October 31, 2009. During that time we monitored all of the items that we have benchmarked and recorded our review performance and anticipated savings. Once the performance period ended, the USGBC reviewed our findings and determined that we reached our goal of achieving LEED EB Certification at the Gold Level !
 |
|
Granite Westchase I & II
Houston, Texas
The Granite Westchase development consists of two Class A office towers located at the corner of Richmond Avenue and Beltway 8 in Houston, TX. Granite Westchase I is a 14 story, 310,000 SF office |
completed in 1983. Granite Westchase II was completed in June,2008, and is 14 stories and 336,000 SF.
In 2008 a feasibility study was conducted to determine if Granite Westchase I would be eligible for LEED certification. In 2009, the building was selected and a consultant was hired to assist in the certification process. A team concept was developed to help gather the information for the six categories: Sustainable Sites, Water Efficiency, Energy and Atmosphere, Material & Resources, Indoor Environmental Quality and Innovation in Operations. Each team member was assigned certain prerequisites and credits for the purpose of gathering the information needed to qualify for the points associated with that topic.
Granite Westchase I is currently registered under the LEED Existing Buildings certification system. The LEED Existing Buildings system evaluates buildings in the six categories but focuses on the how the building is operated and maintained. The building’s track record for energy use, water conservation, and other environmental concerns is objectively reported and then analyzed. Granite Westchase I underwent a performance period and is officially achieved LEED Silver certification status.
Granite Westchase II was designed and constructed to be a “Green” building and the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED Core & Shell certification system was utilized to demonstrate the building’s sustainable credentials. The LEED program evaluates a building in six areas (site, water, energy, materials, indoor environment, and innovation). In July, 2009, Granite Westchase II achieved certification at the Silver level based on its environmentally sustainable attributes.
OUR LEED PROFESSIONALS
 |
|
Aaron Bidne
Development Manager
Received LEED AP 10/6/08
I had personally been interested in LEED prior to my employment with Granite. When I arrived at Granite, it quickly became one of my goals to become a LEED |
Accredited Professional so that I would be ready to manage Granite’s interests in this new industry shift. I received my LEED AP designation in October of 2008. To date, Granite has completed construction on one LEED building and is under construction on a second. We have three Pre-Certified LEED buildings and will soon submit for Pre-Certification on a fourth. As our experience with LEED has grown, we have been able to create a pattern of sustainable strategies that work well with our Class-A development model. Our ultimate goal is to refine our building program to create highly efficient, sustainable, and marketable assets at a competitive cost.
 |
|
Jason Burke
Project Manager
Received LEED AP 5/9/09
The commercial construction industry is increasingly putting more emphasis on sustainability through design, construction, and operation of spaces.The LEED |
certification system is the most recognized and accepted form of measuring construction. In obtaining my LEED Accredited Professional for Commercial Interiors designation, I have tried to better prepare myself, Granite, and our tenants for the upcoming challenges associated with LEED Certification of tenant finish out projects. Hopefully, through my accreditation I have increased the knowledge base for our construction and design teams and can be a guide for these processes when needed.
 |
|
Sylvia Golisano
Engineering/Sustainability Coordinator
Received LEED AP 6/29/210
I think we can all agree that the green movement is no longer just a ‘fad’ but has grown into a new reality - a new (better) way of doing business. |
The commercial real estate community, including Granite, has a tremendous opportunity to lead the way to a more sustainable industry, by lessening its footprint on the environment through continuous improvements in energy and resource consumption in our buildings - especially in existing buildings. That is why I decided to pursue the LEED Professional Certification, one of the most recognized and respected accreditations in the green building field. I obtained my LEED Green Associate designation on June 29, 2010. Armed with this knowledge I hope to raise not only my own awareness but that of others’ as well. On a personal level, it’s important to me to make a contribution, however small, to ensuring that future generations continue to enjoy all that our planet has to offer.
 |
|
Jim Barron
Senior Project Manager
Received LEED AP 6/8/2010
With environmental issues, design, technology, and construction in a constant state of change, it is important in a progressive and visionary environment like |
Granite to keep pace. Receiving a LEED certification, and continuing the reinforcement and education thereof, will certainly allow me to add value to Granite’s sustainability goals today and in the future.
ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS
Earth Day at Granite
|
We Will be Good Stewards of the Environment. Granite has made this promise to everyone – to our employees, industry, and community. As a company, we have made efforts to go “green” through employee education, achieving multiple LEED certifications, and other various sustainability efforts. This year, on the 40th anniversary of Earth Day, Granite wanted to be sure to leave a lasting impression. Our Green committee, comprised of Property Management and Corporate |
|
|
employees, joined forces to bring awareness to employees and tenants about our responsibilities as individuals to the environment. The theme of 2010’s Green Week was “THINK globally, ACT locally”. Graniteers participated in various activities, such as carpooling, e-recycling, light bulb recycling, and tree planting in Denver, Dallas, and Houston. The week was rounded out with a groovy 70’s day in rememberence of the first Earth Day in 1970. This demonstrated that each one of us can make a difference with the smallest of efforts. Granite will continue to live up to our sustainability promise in every aspect, continually creating awareness about the importance of living a “greener” life – and not just on Earth Day.