Noisette offices and studio recognized for green, healthy design

The United States Green Building Council (USGBC) has certified the Noisette Company, LLC offices and Noisette Urban Alliance (NUA) Studio with the first Leadership in Energy Efficiency and Design for Commercial Interiors Rating System (LEED-CI) in South Carolina, according to Roger Noyes, Director of Development for the Noisette Company, LLC.

LEED-CI is a national pilot program, designed as the industry benchmark for green, environmentally-sustainable design and construction of tenant improvements. Unlike previous LEED programs which rate construction of new buildings, LEED-CI is considered a first step towards upgrading the existing stock of commercial buildings throughout the United States, so that they reflect a healthier, more productive work environment. The NUA Studio is located on the second floor of 7 Storehouse Row, an historic building at 1360 Truxtun Avenue on the Navy Yard at Noisette, part of the urban revitalization for the former Charleston Naval Base.

“Up to now, most LEED certified buildings represented only new building construction,” says Noyes. “LEED-CI is one way in which older buildings, and historic structures, can be renovated to reflect a healthier office environment, and be more efficient in the use of energy. This certification is crucial because it will accelerate the rate in which existing buildings become more efficient, and healthier, for their tenants.”

The LEED-CI Pilot Program identified the NUA Studio as one of 50 projects nationwide that will shape future ratings for existing buildings in real-world settings. The NUA Studio received a total of 26 points for its application for certification to the USGBC, a rating determined by an unbiased, third party review of an extensive application submitted by Noisette. The NUA Studio is significant in that it represents the green rehabilitation of a century-old building that was once part of the former Charleston Naval Base. With this certification, the NUA Studio serves as a prototype for the environmentally-conscious restoration of other historic structures on the former base, part of the Noisette Community Master Plan.

The LEED-CI addresses specifics of existing tenant spaces, focusing in office, retail, and institutional buildings. Overall, it is part of the LEED Green Building Rating System, universally recognized by the building industry as a voluntary standard that defines high performance green buildings and interiors – i.e., structures which are healthier for occupants, more environmentally responsible, and more profitable to operate in the long term.

The NUA Studio project was a collaboration of the Noisette Company, LLC, and its partners, Burt Hill Kosar Rittlemann Architects of Washington, DC, and the Herman Miller Corporation of Zeeland, Michigan. The Studio’s construction was completed in August 2004, with the LEED-CI pilot program certification coming earlier this month.

“Certainly, the entire design team for the Studio was on the same page,” injects Wes Evans, Environmental-Education Development Manager for the Herman Miller Corporation in the Carolinas. “Any office building that involves multiple tenants, such as the NUA Studio space, creates its own problems, due to the fact that traditionally you would have to separate the HVAC, technology and office systems for all different tenants. Noisette is a total departure from this inefficient process, in which the Studio houses multiple tenants on one open floor, under one system, all with private space. The result is an efficient, productive and healthy office space.” In addition to the Urban Alliance, the NUA Studio space includes tenants like the City of North Charleston, and R.L. Bryan Company.

News of the first-time certification for LEED-CI in South Carolina was greeted with enthusiasm by professionals in the state’s building industry. “The impact of Noisette’s certification as LEED-CI compliant will be significant,” observes Keith Sanders, Chairman of the USGBC-South Carolina Chapter in Columbia. “There are roughly 80 times as many existing buildings than new structures that can be upgraded to green standards. This brings green renovation to the mainstream of existing buildings. The Noisette Urban Alliance Studio is setting a new standard for green restoration of existing buildings in South Carolina.”

The Noisette Urban Alliance is a partnership of leading manufacturers who are developing sustainable solutions for the construction industry. The United States Green Building Council is a non-profit, consensus-based coalition located in Washington, DC, which represents the entire building industry. For more information on LEED, and the USGBC, please visit www.usgbc.org.