GALA AWARD WINNERS
CORPORATE CULTURE OF SUSTAINABILITY & BEST
PRACTICES:
Panasonic Corporation of North America
In 2013, in order to meet organizational goals to become the number one
green innovation leader in the electronics industry by 2018, Panasonic
Corporation’s 100th anniversary, Panasonic Corporation of North America
decided to relocate its headquarters to a site which allowed the company to
undertake more sustainable practices, educate the community on green
initiatives and utilize mass transportation for a large number of employees.
The building itself is meant to be a showcase to encourage people, or large
corporations, to be smarter about making greener choices. Aside from the “green” appeal of
Newark, the choice to relocate to a growing urban environment was also important for Panasonic. It
is a community that can benefit from a large corporation’s involvement in the community. Prior to
the move, Panasonic had already participated in many park clean-ups in and around Newark. In
2013, at Newark’s annual Cherry Blossom Festival at Branch Brook Park, Panasonic brought
dozens of people to help clean-up the park and kick-off the company’s sponsorship of a new
educational gaming app, which aims to teach children about being financially responsibly, while
being eco responsible as well. The Newark HQ building highlights include: achieving 37.28% water
savings beyond the baseline set by the EPA; daylighting design that provides over 90% of
employees with window views and access to natural sunlight. The HQ project in Newark is
pursuing LEED Gold for New Construction, as well as LEED Platinum Commercial Interiors.
CORPORATE CULTURE OF SUSTAINABILITY & BEST
PRACTICES: Prudential Real Estate Investors
PREI is a leader in the global real estate investment management
business, offering a broad range of investment vehicles that invest in
private and public market opportunities in the United States, Europe, the
Middle East, Asia, Australia and Latin America. PREI has been driving
sustainability best practices throughout their company and into the assets
they manage in New Jersey, across the US and around the world. Their
global LEED engagement encompasses more than 50 managed properties
with LEED certifications covering 17.9 million square feet of space with a gross market value
exceeding $5.8 billion. Certifications involve multi-family, industrial, retail and office properties,
with more than 95% at the Silver level or above. As a result, globally, more than 43% of PREI’s
colleagues work in a LEED certified space (more than 81% of their US employees). To expand their
reach further, PREI offers LEED Green Associate training to their colleagues around the world.
Thus far, they have trained associates in four countries on LEED core concepts and strategies and
have associates in another four countries scheduled to participate this year. PREI’s Madison, NJ
headquarters is LEED Platinum.
URBAN GREEN PROJECT:
The Edge Mixed Use Building in Hoboken (Bijou Properties)
Bijou Properties built New Jersey's first-ever LEED Gold
residential high-rise (Garden Street Lofts) and will maintain a
minimum LEED Gold certification for each of its new buildings.
With Bijou Properties’ strict commitment to sustainable building, tenants are able to experience
a healthier, more efficient, and environmentally friendlier way of life. Bijou was joined on this
project by Steven Winter Associates, and Marchetto Higgins Stieve Architects. Edge Lofts is 6story mixed use project in Hoboken, NJ that exemplifies green building by combining
sustainable building strategies and energy‐reduction measures all the while adding to the city’s
density and character. The project team selected LED and high efficiency lighting fixtures and low‐
flow fixtures for visual purposes and for their abilities to reduce energy and water consumption. In
addition, a photovoltaic array utilizes the roof’s surface area and supplies power to help operate the
building while offsetting its demand on the grid. There are also two electric vehicle charging
stations located within the garage. Since tenants and building operators control the way the project
functions from day to day, building tours and literature were developed to raise their understanding
of how to utilize elements within their surrounding environment, such as their Nest thermostats. As
a result, tenants will be able to experience a cleaner, more efficient, and environmentally friendlier
way of life.
SUBURBAN GREEN PROJECT:
Center 78 (Normandy Real Estate Partners)
Normandy Real Estate Partners is a leading real estate investment and
management firm based in Morristown, New Jersey. Normandy has
developed and implemented sustainable best practices across their
portfolio, including green cleaning and purchasing, sustainable water
management, comprehensive recycling, and strict attention to energy
efficiency. Over the past three years alone, Normandy has installed solar plants at 14 of their
properties. Their newly-developed or repositioned properties have all been certified LEED Silver or
higher and 15 of Normandy’s properties are currently ENERGY STAR designated, with additional
certifications in process. Center 78 is a 371,000 square foot office building in Warren, New Jersey.
This project was the rehabilitation/ redevelopment of a 1980’s suburban B property into a premier
Class-A Office Park, which will achieve LEED Gold for Core and Shell in late 2013. Green features
at the site include: high efficiency HVAC and plumbing systems; LED parking lot and exterior
lighting; and a 223 KWH solar plant located on the roof, which can provide up to 11% of the
building’s power needs. In addition to the many physical attributes that make Center 78 green,
Normandy developed and implemented sustainable best practices that will stay with the project past
the development phase and into normal site operations.
SUBURBAN GREEN PROJECT:
Wyndham Worldwide LEED Certified Campus
As a leader in the hospitality industry, Wyndham Worldwide is
committed to sustainability best practices. Since its launch in 2006,
Wyndham Worldwide has invested in exploring and adopting
innovative sustainable practices through its Wyndham Green program,
which focuses on sustainability across the Company. Focused on
education and innovation, the program is a way of living and working based on Wyndham’s vision
and core values, enhancing customers’ lives by improving the environment, supporting global and
local communities, and developing sustainable programs that deliver economic benefits. In both
2011 and 2012, Newsweek magazine ranked Wyndham Worldwide among the Top 100 Greenest
Companies in America and #1 in the hotel and restaurant segment. By going for LEED certification
at their corporate headquarters, Wyndham Worldwide is in fact “walking the talk” by setting an
example for their more than 40 brands and 100,000 sites in over 100 countries to follow. Wyndham
Worldwide moved into its 250,000 square feet corporate headquarters to Sylvan Way, Parsippany,
NJ in 2010. This building has about 16% energy savings for lighting, 18% energy savings for
HVAC, 74% energy star equipment & appliances, 28% water reduction, 88% of construction
waste diverted from landfills and an overall environmental best practices and program
strategies. Wyndham’s Sylvan Way Headquarters has earned LEED Silver designations for
both Corporate Interiors and Existing Building: Operations and Maintenance. They are also in
the process of completing a new building on the same campus that is expected to receive LEED for
Commercial Interiors certification.
NOT FOR PROFIT - COMMERCIAL:
The Bolger Community Center (Peter Wells Architects, LLC)
The Bolger Community Center is the rehabilitation of a landmark barn
structure into an Ambulance Corp and community center. The project
is a wonderful combination of philanthropy, preservation and green
building design. The building is two stories and 6,000 SF. It was
decided early on that the building would seek a minimum of LEED
Silver Certification. To that end, the Bolger Center will utilize an energy efficient geothermal
system for heating and cooling. It is also designed to be energy and water efficient, maximize
indoor air quality, and maximize the use of locally harvested and, high recycled content materials
and certified wood. In addition, the building will have low-VOC carpeting, and no-VOC paints,
demonstrating that these types of healthy, sustainable finishes are now readily available in the
marketplace and contribute to a healthier interior environment. By following LEED, principles the
building strives to set an example of how sustainable buildings can reduce energy and operating
costs and therefore taxpayer dollars.
NOT FOR PROFIT - RESIDENTIAL:
Van Sciver Permanent Supportive Housing Development
(Vantage Health System, Inc.)
The creation of the Van Sciver Supportive Housing Project in
Closter, NJ was a seven year, $3.5M project culminating in the
first GOLD LEED certified affordable housing project for
individuals with disabilities in New Jersey under NJHMFA’s Special Needs Housing Trust Fund!
Because of this project, 16 individuals with mental illness, 8 of whom were homeless, now live in a
safe, secure, environmentally friendly, home. Built with modular design and with a LEED Gold
certification, this attractive, non-institutional looking residence is a model for the industry. It was
important to the project team that the new construction be as sustainable as possible- for
environmental as well as operational cost savings. From the donation of the land to development
and construction grants as well as 16 rental subsidies, the collective vision and commitment
produced a spectacular home for vulnerable residents.
SPECIAL IMPACT AWARD – EDUCATION:
Leadership for Sustainable Schools (New Jersey School Boards Association)
The New Jersey School Boards Association (NJSBA), a federation of boards of
education, provides training, advocacy and support to advance public education
and the achievement of all students through effective governance for 586 local
boards of education and eighty-six charter school boards of trustees; a reach
greater than 4800 members. NJSBA is creating a multi-faceted approach for
school districts to foster healthier school environments at lower operational cost
and connecting sustainability to student academic performance. NJSBA’s sustainability initiatives
began in 2009 with the creation of the Alliance for Competitive Energy Services (ACES). As the
first energy-aggregation program for NJ schools, ACES supports approximately four hundred
member districts who’ve seen savings near fifty million dollars. Two years later NJSBA
expanded their vision by committing resources and promoting sustainability through strategic
partnerships. In 2013 the Association hired a full-time STEM/sustainability specialist, won a
Bristol-Myers Squibb grant to receive a Center for Green Schools Fellow, and will launch the
second generation of ACES that will include Demand Response and Renewable Energy Sources.
Programs such as Sustainable Jersey for Schools Certification program and NJ Sustainable Schools
Research Grant were funded through a portion of ACES savings. To date, School Boards
Association has invested nearly $800,000 for these initiatives.
STUDENT AWARD:
Bay Head Resilient Design Project, being accepted by James
Giresi, on behalf of all of the students in the Spring 2013, 'Garden
State Studio', Susan Bristol, Professor, NJIT: Eric Barreira; Mina
Choi; Richard Clark; James Giresi; Michael Hertl; Pablo Lopez;
Timothy Man; Bryan Miksiewicz; Christopher Sala; and Kaitlyn
Sena.
This studio class worked with a municipal site in the town of Bay Head, NJ, where the municipal
building was destroyed during Superstorm Sandy. The challenge was to design a building that could
demonstrate sustainable principles, respond to new FEMA flood elevations, enhance the
commercial district and restore the landscape. Environmental issues of the site dealt with water
mitigation and loss of natural wetlands, which through restoration could help prevent future damage
from routine flooding. At NJIT, this work was critical to the formation of the Center for Resilient
Design at NJIT and was presented at a Roundtable to local developers, NJ Governor’s office staff,
FEMA staff, administrators, professors and students. In Bay Head, the students’ work was publicly
presented at a community forum. Interventions at the town scale demonstrated opportunities for
reduction of Co2 emissions by expanding pedestrian, bicycle and public transit connections. FEMA
staff, specifically charged with Economic Re-Development in Bay Head, looked at the work,
research and sustainable design principles as a catalyst for expanding thinking in the long-range
planning process and has requested a public presentation for the fall. Also, the Mayor of Bay Head
personally reviewed the work as an introduction to sustainable building practice that could influence
the new municipal building and sustainable municipal planning. Student designs reduced
impervious surface on the site, provided bio-swales to clean runoff, and included ‘spongy’
grasslands to absorb high water. The student work shows that a sustainable recovery goes beyond
buildings, integrating larger infrastructural systems with buildings as a method of bringing together
and teaching the community.
HONORABLE MENTION:
Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield – New Jersey Headquarters
Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey focused not only on renovating
its 3 Penn Plaza headquarters in Newark in a way that would help further its
commitment to providing its members with superior service, but also considered
the environment in the construction. To ensure a high standard of sustainable
practice at 3 Penn Plaza, Horizon BCBSNJ targeted and achieved LEED Gold
Certification for its mixed-use lobby project. Points were awarded for strategies
such as locating the project in a dense urban area with proximity to public
transportation and basic services, while providing preferred parking spaces for carpool and vanpool
vehicles. Other strategies included the use of low flow and flush fixtures to reduce potable water use
by 42 percent, use of recycled and regionally sourced construction materials in adherence to
sustainability standards in the cleaning and waste management of the facility. Users enjoy a healthy
environment with access to daylight and views and incorporating low-emitting materials and
finishes. Additionally, Horizon BCBSNJ is encouraging responsible “green” behavior by
installing active temperature controls and lighting vacancy sensors in offices to optimize
energy efficiency. By achieving LEED Gold Certification, Horizon BCBSNJ demonstrates its
commitment to sustainability in New Jersey, setting a strong precedent for similar building types,
while ensuring that tenants uphold these standards for the life of the building. Horizon BCBSNJ is
also in the process of completing a Phase II LEED project – renovating each floor to support a
modern, environmentally friendly work environment – in the same headquarters facility.
HONORABLE MENTION - RESIDENTIAL RESILIENCY:
Holmes-Rulli Residence (Designs for Life LLC)
This LEED Silver Certified house set a standard for green home
construction that remains on the cutting edge since its completion in
2007/08. Its approach to site, water, energy, materials, and indoor
environmental quality is one of integration, collaboration, and
resiliency. The energy efficiency achieved, enabling the 2,500sf, 2
1/2 story, 3 bedroom 2 1/2 bath home to reach net zero energy with
just a 9kw PV solar system is due to the combination of orientation,
daylighting and natural ventilation integration, building envelope performance, and selection of
efficient systems. Economically, the home was built for just $200/sf which is neither low nor high
for a custom home in New Jersey. It was also one of the very first LEED certified Homes in the
State, participating in the pilot program of LEED for Homes. This house is a tribute to the synergy
between LEED and resiliency, having survived storms such as Sandy with no damage. Since its
completion, the homeowners have opened their home to hundreds of conference attendees and
students for tours, using their home as a teaching tool and promoting sustainability in their
community. This house stands as a testament that green building is both affordable, beautiful, and
environmentally friendly.
USGBC NJ Mission
To be NJ’s foremost leader promoting, advocating, and providing education for the
planning, design, construction, operation and maintenance of high performance
buildings and communities that are environmentally responsible, cost effective,
productive, and healthy places to live, learn and work.
Number of New Jersey Chapter Members: 1603
Number of USGBC Member Companies in NJ: 317
Number of LEED Accredited Professionals in NJ: 2685
Number of LEED Fellows in NJ: 1
Number of LEED Registered Projects in NJ: 964
Number of LEED Certified Projects in NJ: 302
Number of LEED Certified Homes in NJ: 2016
Number of LEED Certified Square Feet in NJ: 31 Million