NEWS RELEASE
EDA’S WATERFRONT TECHNOLOGY CENTER AT CAMDEN EARNS GOLD CERTIFICATION FROM U. S. GREEN BUILDING COUNCIL
Trenton, N.J. (June 14, 2006) - The New Jersey Economic Development Authority’s (EDA’s) Waterfront Technology Center at Camden has become the first public project in the state to be certified under the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System.
The LEED-CS designation for core and shell pilot gold-level certification was awarded by the U.S. Green Building Council, a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit coalition of building industry leaders, which administers the national rating standards for high-performance, sustainable buildings. “Green” design and construction practices work to reduce or eliminate the negative impact of buildings on the environment and occupants.
“We are thrilled to receive this certification for the Waterfront Technology Center, which recognizes the importance we place on sustainable design and construction,” said EDA Chief Executive Officer Caren S. Franzini. “It’s a significant milestone that is made all the more meaningful because ours is only the second project in New Jersey, public or private, ever to receive the gold designation.”
The five-story, 100,000-square-foot Tech One building at the Waterfront Technology Center has been designed by the architectural/engineering firm, Ballinger, and built by the construction management firm, Skanska. It is the first of several structures planned for the site, which is located along a burgeoning waterfront area that serves as a gateway to the long technology corridor that runs through New Jersey. Tech One has been designed to accommodate existing businesses in the biosciences, microelectronics, advanced materials, information technology and other high-technology and life sciences fields.
Based on established standards, LEED emphasizes state-of-the-art strategies for five broad areas: sustainable site planning; water and water efficiency; energy efficiency and renewable energy; conservation of materials and resources; and indoor environmental quality.
LEED recognizes achievements and promotes expertise in green building through a comprehensive system offering project certification, professional accreditation, training and practical resources. Four LEED certification levels are offered – certified, silver, gold and platinum.
The LEED Green Building Rating System for Core and Shell Development (LEED-CS) is for designers, builders, developers and new building owners who address sustainable design for new core and shell construction. LEED-CS is being used to evaluate building projects where the owner does not control the interior design and fit-out. It is currently being pilot-tested by more than 100 project teams.
Broadly defined, core and shell construction covers base building elements such as structure, envelope and building-level systems, including heating, ventilating and air-conditioning systems. The Waterfront Technology Center, Franzini said, receives high marks in each of these categories.
“First, it has been developed in a urban redevelopment zone on an underutilized brownfield site near mass transportation, using existing infrastructure. Second, the building uses highly efficient centralized mechanical systems, including central boilers, chillers and a custom air-handling unit with humidification and a total energy recovery wheel,” she said.
In the winter, this wheel recovers heat from the building exhaust air stream and delivers it to the incoming outdoor air, which greatly reduces the amount of energy required to heat and humidify the space. Similarly, in the summer the energy wheel removes heat from the incoming ventilation air and rejects it into the building exhaust air stream, thus significantly reducing the amount of energy required to mechanically cool the building.
The building also incorporates the use of sun shades on the south and west elevations to reduce solar heat gain and provide enhanced day lighting characteristics. Additionally, more than 98 percent of debris accumulated from the building’s construction was diverted from the landfill or solid waste stream.
Tech One is fully equipped with all the amenities that technology companies need, such as redundant high-power electrical service, broadband access and other specialized equipment and services to support information technology and green building technologies to reduce energy costs. Tenants can take advantage of a wide range of financing, business incentives and technical assistance tools to further support as they develop their products and technologies and work to achieve commercial success.
Leases have been completed or are in the process of being finalized for more than half the available space. The first tenants will include:
- Drexel University, for the Applied Communications and Information Networking (ACIN) program it operates in conjunction with the Sarnoff Corporation through ACIN’s Camden Center for Entrepreneurship in Technology to advise high-technology startups focused on military security and homeland defense;
- Gestalt, LLC, an international firm providing consulting, technology and managed services to defense and energy and utilities industries; and
- Rutgers Camden Technology Campus, Inc., which operates the Rutgers Camden Business Incubator to encourage entrepreneurs to locate their business in Camden and helps them secure low-cost office and conference support and mentoring services.
To advance the EDA’s effort to provide green space that features sustainable design and construction practices, these tenants have also been registered for certification under the LEED-CI program for commercial interiors. Technologies incorporated into this space help reduce lighting power by more than 25 percent and water usage by 31 percent.
The Waterfront Technology Center is located within the Camden Innovation Zone, a technology neighborhood that was set up to encompass state universities, research institutions and related businesses and is designed to spur collaborative efforts and encourage the rapid transfer of discoveries from the laboratory to the marketplace. Enhanced financial incentives also are available to eligible businesses locating in these zones. For leasing information, contact Mark E. Cowin, program manager, at mcowin@njeda.com or (609) 292-8786, or visit www.waterfronttechcenter.com.
The EDA is an independent, self-sustaining state financing and development agency that works to promote economic growth, job creation and the revitalization of New Jersey’s communities with financing assistance, technical support and entrepreneurial training, and real estate development activities.
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