The first Las Vegas LEED Retrofit, 302 Carson, was unveiled yesterday by Shangri-La Construction and Thompson National Properties, LLC. It's located downtown at 302 East Carson Avenue and had its grand opening yesterday afternoon. It is, in fact, the first LEED Certified Retrofit in the state of Nevada.
Approximately 250 green jobs, primarily in construction, were created by this LEED Retrofit building project about a block and a half from Las Vegas's off-strip Fremont Street. In a current U.S. jobless economy that has seen construction as one of the hardest hit industries, averaging approximately 25% unemployment, this is a welcome RetroFit.
"This was an unusual type of construction project for Las Vegas where more often you see buildings imploded and then something huge replaces it, built from the ground up," commented Andy Meyers, President, Shangri-La Construction.
(Photo Credit Denise Truscello, Wire Image)
Pictured In Photos: Former President Bill Clinton, founder, Clinton Foundation and sponsor of the Clinton Climate Initiative; Mayor Goodman, Las Vegas; Rick Fedrizzi, president and CEO of the U.S. Green Building Council; Andy Meyers, president of Shangri-La Construction; Tony Thompson, chairman and CEO, Thompson National Properties, LLC, the building’s owner.
Meyers stated that 302 Carson was "very much a collaborative effort" between the original client, Thompson National Properties, themselves, Shangri-La Construction, and Las Vegas department of planning, fire department and even Las Vegas Mayor Goodman's office. They put primarily Union members to work for the construction jobs who bid competitively on the employment offered.
He also acknowledged that Las Vegas Tax Commissioner, along with Mayor Goodman, took a very pro-business. "progressive with tax incentives" stance when it came to this Cutting Edge LEED Green Building Retrofit. "In tough times, they want to create jobs," commented Meyers.
New Building Features Include: · Window System Replacement – to reduce heat transfer, lower utility bills and increase tenant comfort.
· Chiller Replacement and Extensive HVAC Efficiency Upgrades – to improve building performance by more than 30 percent, saving an excess of $50,000 per year in electricity costs.
· “Cool” Roof Installation – to reduce the building’s urban heat island effect and interior temperature.
· Upgraded Lobby, Elevator and Finishes – to modernize the building to current Class “A” standards.
Former President Clinton was also on hand, along with USGBC President, Rick Fedrizzi, to commemorate this groundbreaking LEED construction project. "He's been passionate about our cost-competitiveness in terms of Green and LEED building retrofits," explained Meyers. "This has been the Clinton mantra in terms of green building, unless it's affordable, it's never going to happen."
302 Carson earned the Gold certification under the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED® (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Rating System™.
The formerly obsolete, 1960’s vintage energy-wasting building is now the new state-of-the-art standard for property redevelopment in Las Vegas’ downtown revitalization zone. LEED design strategies and efficiency upgrades are projected to decrease building energy use by more than 30 percent and water consumption by 40 percent, resulting in sustained operating cost reductions and improved tenant comfort and productivity.
Yet again Shangri-La Construction, along with partner client Thompson National Properties LLC, have proved that sustainability is absolutely affordable. As of yesterday's Grand Opening of 302 Carson in Las Vegas, it was already 40% occupied. It is to date the only LEED Certified building in Las Vegas downtown that's not 100% leased.
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