| On May 3rd the Virginia Beach Convention and Visitors Bureau announced that the Virginia Beach Convention Center (VBCC) is the first convention center in the country to achieve Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) for Existing Buildings (EB) Gold Certification. Burns and Roe was in attendance as a valued LEED Partner. Not only is VBCC the first LEED EB Gold Convention center, it’s also the largest LEED EB building in the Commonwealth and only the second LEED EB building in Virginia outside of the DC area. Second District Congressman Glenn Nye and Mayor William D. Sessoms, Jr. were on hand at a ceremony to accept the plaque from the U.S. Green Building Council.
After an effort of more than two years, LEED Gold certification was achieved under the Existing Buildings version 2.0 Rating System. Some of the project’s highlights are:
• Retro-commissioning of the mechanical systems;
• Sustainable purchasing;
• Energy conservation;
• Developing ergonomics training for the staff; and
• A robust recycling program.
“Our commitment to the environment is not only a preferred amenity, but a requirement for some meeting planners looking to book their events,” said Al Hutchinson, Vice President of Convention Sales and Marketing. “They consider LEED to be the premier third party “seal of approval” for meeting facilities in regard to environmental criteria."
Burns and Roe provided the technical solutions for a wide variety of credits and templates. Initially, Burns and Roe was called to help with the Energy and Atmosphere prerequisites and the irrigation credits. That help soon grew to an analysis of everything from landfill diversion to the location of bicycle racks. Burns and Roe helped develop the energy baseline using historical data plus comparable buildings. Developing this baseline helped VBCC attain eight out of ten energy and atmosphere points to achieve the Gold rating.
“There were other less complex methods of calculating the energy baseline, but by calculating the energy baseline relative to similar buildings we were able to attain as many points as possible. I also reviewed many of the Project Team’s submittals before they were sent to the Green Building Certification Institute. Having lived through the process previously, I had a good idea of the level of expectation required.” stated Chris Nixon, Sustainability Manager with Burns and Roe.
“Chris did an outstanding job helping the Virginia Beach Convention Center work towards LEED EB Certification. His cost effective, pragmatic approach helped the VBCC achieve its goals in a timely manner. His knowledge of the LEED Rating System and its intricacies helped us attain unrealized points. I would gladly recommend Chris to anyone considering a LEED EB project,” said Lori Herrick MBA, LEED AP and, the VBCC’s Business Manager.
Burns and Roe Services Corporation is a wholley owned subsidiary of the Burns and Roe Group, Inc. and is a global provider of Operating Support and Technical Services to the Campus, Government, and Utility markets. LEED solutions are part of the Technical Services sustainability offerings and are provided by a team of passionate and highly qualified professional engineers, certified energy managers, certified sustainable development professionals, certified building commissioning professionals, certified carbon reduction managers, LEED accredited professionals and facility management professionals.
The Burns and Roe Group, Inc. is a privately held, comprehensive engineering, procurement, construction, operations and maintenance organization with specialized expertise in technically complex facilities. With over 1,700 personnel worldwide, Burns and Roe and its affiliated companies serve private and governmental clients in the power, industrial, and government service industries. The firm is a world leader in the markets that it serves. Engineering News-Record consistently ranks Burns and Roe as a top Power Design Firm. Business News-New Jersey also ranked Burns and Roe as a Top Engineering Firm in the State for the past five years. For more information on Burns and Roe, please contact the Company at (201) 265-2000 or through its website, www.roe.com.
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