Albuquerque is becoming a hot spot for green innovation. From solar power to wind energy, City Government and local companies are leading the way in developing and utilizing sustainable technology.

Green building is one way to take charge of our future. Here are just a few examples of local leadership in developing LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certified green buildings.

Double Eagle Airfield Maintenance Facility

• The Airfield Maintenance Facility is designed to meet the USGBC’s LEED Gold level certification when completed and is the City of Albuquerque’s first Green Path public project.
• Sustainable features include ample daylighting of and views for nearly all occupied spaces, natural ventilation, cool roofs, and an efficient building envelope design.
• MEP equipment selections are projected to reduce energy consumption by at least 28% and water use by 30% compared to similar facilities.
• Superior indoor air quality will be achieved with low to no toxic off-gassing finish materials, increased ventilation, and HVAC outside air delivery monitoring and controls.
• The airport site is designed to protect and restore habitat while maximizing open space, includes native drought-resistant landscaping requiring no potable water, and incorporates reflective permeable paving, which taken together will minimize the adverse effects of storm water drainage and runoff.

APS Design/Build Middle School

designed by Dekker/Perich/Sabatini

Scheduled to open Fall 2009, this school consists of approximately 170,000sf of new construction. It is
designed to accommodate approximately 1200 students and 99 staff. This project is pursuing LEED Silver certification, with an emphasis on energy conservation, water conservation, and creating an indoor environment that supports student health and learning. Some of the key sustainable features/strategies include stormwater retention, low water use landscaping, water conserving plumbing features, energy efficient building envelope and mechanical systems, construction waste recycling, energy efficient lighting, and operable windows. The most recent model indicated a projected energy savings of 38% compared to ASHRAE 90.1-2004, which would equate to 7or 8 LEED points for EA Credit 1.
In addition, the project has received the “Designed to Earn the Energy Star” designation on this project and ranked in the top 15% of energy efficient projects. Energy Star calculations were performed by entering the preliminary energy model results into EPA’s TargetFinder software.

Albuquerque Police Department
SIXTH AREA COMMAND HEADQUARTERS

• The new 25,000 square foot community-based facility located at Ellison and Cibola Loop NW will serve the Albuquerque Police Department’s newly defined Sixth Area command which encompasses most of northwest Albuquerque.

• The facility will be designed and constructed to achieve a LEED-NC “Silver” certification.
• Currently entering the design development phase, the Albuquerque Police Department (APD) and Rohde May Keller McNamara Architecture, P.C. are designing the facility to maximize the outstanding views of the Sandias and the City of Albuquerque for all employees.
• Using LEED guidelines, the building will excel in the following areas of energy efficiency: 
  • Efficient lighting
  • Daylight dimming
  • Photovoltaic electrical power
  • Geothermal heating and cooling
  • Materials (recycled content, local procurement)
  • Indoor environmental quality (outside air, low-VOC materials)
  • Water (use reduction and rain harvesting).

Thomas Bell Community Center Gymnasium Addition

by Cherry/See/Reames Architects LLP

A gymnasium addition is under construction for the Thomas Bell Community Center. The gymnasium connects to the existing building and navigates a challenging site while working to provide users with an energy efficient, water efficient, and healthy recreation space under the USGBC LEED-NCv2.2 process and the Green Path Program.
Notable Features Include:

• On track for LEED Gold Certification
• Use energy efficient HVAC units, solar heat exchange units, and daylighting
• Xeriscaping uses collected rainwater for irrigation
• All interior finishes have low VOC content
• Steeply sloped site incorporates building level changes and balances cut and fill
• Reclaimed water system reuses shower and lavatory water to flush toilets 

Square Footage: 8,355
Major Tenants: Kirtland Neighborhood 
Location: 3001 University Blvd. SE, Albuquerque, NM 
Special Features: Solar Panel Heat Exchange for hot water, Reclaimed water system, 44.3% Water Use Reduction, 48.8% Energy Savings

APS-Susie Rayos Marmon Elemenatary School

by Project Architect, DWL Architects + Planners of New Mexico

To design a better quality learning environment and reduced energy needs, Albuquerque Public Schools determined that they wanted Susie Rayos Marmon Elementary School to be Leadership, Energy & Environmental Design (LEED) for New Schools Silver Certified. The decision reinforces Mayor Chavez’s Green Path program to make Albuquerque a better place to live and will reduce energy use and dependence.

Advent Solar Building

by developer Forest City Covington, and Advent Solar, Inc.

As the first LEED Certified building at Mesa del Sol, the Advent Solar building set a precedent for sustainable design. Designed by Dekker/Perich/Sabatini, the building features high-efficiency HVAC units, low-flow plumbing fixtures, and an extensive cistern system for water harvesting and efficient irrigation. The Advent Solar building has also been honored with the Southwest Contractor magazine award for Best Industrial Building in 2007 and the NAIOP award for the Best Industrial Building in 2006.

Square Footage: 87,596

Major Tenants: Advent Solar, Inc.

Location: Mesa del Sol, Albuquerque, New Mexico

Special Features: Advent Solar will feature use of their own solar panels for electric power generation.

PNM Resources Building

by Claudio Vigil Architects, Jaynes Corporation, Bridgers & Paxton Engineers, and Environmental Dynamics, Inc. as the LEED Accredited Professionals

A new PNM building is the first in New Mexico to earn silver certification from the U.S. Green Building Council using the LEED Green Building Rating System. The office building is located in Albuquerque and houses 50 employees.

See the full story: PNM Building Earns State's First Silver LEED-NC Certification for New Building

“This building is one example of how our company is seeking a more environmentally sustainable path, where we consider not just financial impacts of business decisions, but the environmental impacts as well.”- Jeff Sterba, Chairman, President and CEO of PNM Resources                 Photo by Patrick Coulie

 

Major Tenants: PNM Resources

Location: NE Albuquerque, New Mexico

Special Features: Water consumption was reduced by 47%. Energy use requirements have been reduced by 25%.

Jefferson Green

by Dekker/Perich/Sabatini

Jefferson Green, an 85,000sf office building designed by Dekker/Perich/Sabatini, achieved a rare double LEED Gold certification. The project was awarded Gold under LEED for Core and Shell (LEED-CS) in March 2007, and Gold under LEED for Commercial Interiors (LEED-CI) in June 2007. Jefferson Green was designed to use 45% less energy and 30% less water than a typical office building, as well as incorporating a variety of low-emitting, recycled, and regional materials. EPA awarded Jefferson Green an Energy Star in June 2008 based on actual energy performance using data from utility bills. Jefferson Green’s rating of 99 places it in the top 1% of buildings in the nation for energy performance.

"It is the long-term impact of this approach that is most important to us – better buildings, happier people, and a healthier planet."

- Bill Sabatini, Design Principal

Square footage: 85,000

Major Tenants: Dekker Perich Sabatini

Location: NE Albuquerque, New Mexico

Special Features: 30% less water and 45% less energy than a typical office building in Albuquerque. Over 90% of the structural steel is recycled. Responsible construction practices resulted in reuse and recycling that diverted over 4,000 tons of material from landfill.

Jefferson Green Achieves Double LEED Gold Certification

Jefferson Green Recognized by EPA

Mesa Del Sol Firestation

Mesa Del Sol Fire Station 22 is a 12,200 square foot facility that will house 11 fire personnel and 3 apparatus bays. It is expected to earn LEED Gold Certification for New Construction and included photovoltaic panels gifted by Advent Solar, a neighbor at Mesa Del Sol. The building itself is being donated by Forest City Covington NM, LLC to the City of Albuquerque, and will set the bar for green design of this building type.

Energy savings of 35% are expected compared to similar facilities. Mechanical strategies include a high efficiency roof top system, increased roof and wall insulation, and energy efficient glazing. There is also extensive day lighting in inhabited areas, with daylight sensors and automatically dimming fixtures to reduce electrical loads.

Recycled, regional and low-emitting materials are used wherever feasible. Water savings of 30% are expected with duel flush toilets and pint urinals. The native, drought tolerant landscape materials used in the extensive open space contribute further to these water savings.

Fidelity Investments

Fidelity Investments is a 217,892 square foot office building in Mesa del Sol Innovation Park, designed to accommodate up to 1500 people. It is expected to achieve LEED Core and Shell Gold Certification, and will be the first LEED Gold office building at Mesa del Sol.

The building consists of two 55,000 sq. ft. floor plates with a shared lobby, which allows the building to be subleased in the future. Large glass windows take advantage of views, provide natural light, and help reduce lighting loads in conjunction with automatic dimming and daylight sensors throughout.

The building uses a high efficiency chilled water system with cooling towers instead of typical roof top units. With the high efficiency building envelope, this building is expected to use 23% less energy than a typical office building. 30% water savings are also achieved with high efficiency fixtures.

Preferred parking is provided for alternate fuel vehicles and car pools, and additional bicycle racks are included, along with showers and changing rooms. The visitor’s parking lot will use pervious concrete pavement to reduce runoff, which is being evaluated for possible extension throughout the facility.

Open space provided is double city requirements, and there are links to the surrounding trail network. Passive water harvesting is accomplished through the use of swales and gutters that direct water toward landscaped areas. Plant materials were chosen for their xeric qualities in addition to their aesthetic and habitat value, with the majority of plant material drought tolerant or native, requiring little additional water once established. Many of the trees will be installed significantly larger than is common practice, improving their habitat value more quickly.

What's Your Story?

Is your Albuquerque building LEED certified? Send us an email and tell us your story.