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David Brower Center - Integral Group's 8th LEED Platinum Building

David Brower Center - Integral Group's 8th LEED Platinum Building

Published 01-05-11

Submitted by Integral Group

David Brower Center

Integral Group (formerly Rumsey Engineers) today announced that the David Brower Center in Berkeley, California was awarded a LEED Platinum certification by the USGBC. This is the firm's 8th LEED Platinum certified building. The project earned 55 out of a possible 60 points (42 points is the minimum for Platinum certification).

The design for this landmark mixed use project in downtown Berkeley provides many opportunities to educate users and the public about sustainable design. Integral Group collaborated closely with the architects and design team from the earliest stages of the design process to create a building that is optimal in its energy efficiency, functionality and user comfort. Named after the Sierra Club's first executive director, David Brower, the project includes 50,000 square feet of office space, public education space, and a restaurant. The Center provides a home for the environmental movement: rental office space for environmental non-profit organizations and conference center facilities for environmentally conscious events.

Important energy and water efficient design strategies included in the project are: optimal siting; 100% daylighting of all office areas; natural ventilation; a high performance building skin; a high efficiency HVAC system that includes in-slab radiant heating and cooling; photovoltaic power generation with panels doubling as sun shade devices; collection and reuse of rainwater for irrigation and toilet flushing; waterless urinals (a landmark milestone - the first installation of these for the City of Berkeley); a rainwater catchment system that provides water for flushing toilets and irrigation; low-flow fixtures used throughout the building; and a solar hot water system.

Integral Group has been a consistent leader in the development of new and innovative mechanical systems that significantly reduce building energy use, and is the first U.S. MEP firm to achieve 8 LEED Platinum certifications. Integral Group differs from other firms in their commitment to green buildings - all of their projects are focused on sustainable design. The firm's mission is to fundamentally change building practices to be dramatically more sustainable and resource efficient.

The Integral Group is an interactive global network of design professionals collaborating under a single deep green engineering umbrella. We specialize in the design of simple, elegant, cost-effective systems for high performance buildings.

For more information see: www.integralgroup.com

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Integral Group

Integral Group

Integral Group (formerly Rumsey Engineers) is an interactive global network of design professionals collaborating under a single deep green engineering umbrella. We specialize in the design of simple, elegant, cost-effective systems for high performance buildings.

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