SAN DIEGO, CA--(Marketwire - Nov 4, 2011) - The dream of a net-zero energy, LEED® certified workplace has become a reality for the employees of DPR Construction (DPR). The company-owned San Diego regional headquarters, a 24,000 square foot office located in University City, is the first and only commercial office in San Diego to achieve both net-zero energy status and LEED® for New Construction (NC) Platinum certification.
"We wanted to set an example in our industry by changing the way commercial office buildings are designed and built with the goal of improving the world we live in," said Jay Leopold, regional manager of DPR San Diego. "DPR reached high with our sights set on net-zero energy and LEED® Platinum status, and as a company, we are proud to see these goals come to fruition."
The building is the first and only net-zero commercial office in San Diego over 20,000 square feet. To be eligible for a net-zero rating, a building must be capable of producing at least as much energy from renewable sources within a year to compensate for what it draws from the grid. Over the last year, DPR's San Diego office generated nearly12,000 kilowatt-hours (kWh) more than it consumed with the use of the roof-mounted 64 kW-AC photovoltaic system. The solar panels produce enough power to offset the office's energy consumption annually.
DPR's San Diego office is also the first and only commercial building to achieve LEED-NC Platinum in San Diego, the highest rating given by the U.S. Green Building Council. LEED® certification is based on a number of green design and construction features that positively impact the project and the community. LEED® standards cover new commercial construction and major renovation projects, interiors projects and existing building operations.
"We set out to transform a typical San Diego suburban office building into a cutting-edge facility that respects the environment, our employees, our customers, and our culture. All of us feel we've hit a home run," continued Leopold.
The DPR San Diego office construction project team was comprised of Elizabeth Barrie, Jeff Cole, Jerry McElfresh and Mark Seidl. In addition, Jonathan Wood of Seattle-based Callison served as the architect of the project. Other consultants and designers included KEMA for bio-climatic design; Hope Engineering for structural engineering; Latitude 33 Planning and Engineering for civil engineering; Howard Associates for landscape architecture; Bergelectric Corporation for electrical services; and Pacific Rim Mechanical for plumbing and mechanical services.
About DPR Construction
DPR Construction, named by FORTUNE as one of the "100 Best Companies to Work For," is a forward-thinking national general contractor and construction manager specializing in technically complex and sustainable projects. A privately held, employee-owned company, DPR has grown to more than $1 billion in annual revenue, making it one of the largest general contractors in the nation. Locally, DPR is a perennial Top 5 general contractor with annual revenue averaging well over $200 million. DPR's San Diego office is located at 5010 Shoreham Place. For more information about DPR, visit www.dpr.com.
Contact Information:
CONTACT:
Audrey Doherty
Chemistry Public Relations
619-236-8397
