Bush Presidential Center Achieves LEED Platinum Certification
Dallas, TX –The George W. Bush Presidential Center, a Manhattan Construction project, has been awarded the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®) Platinum certification from the U.S. Green Building Council, the highest level of the LEED green building certification program. It is the first Presidential library to earn LEED Platinum certification for new construction.
Manhattan Construction is building the George W. Bush Presidential Center on a 23-acre lot on the campus of Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas. After completion, Manhattan will have the unique distinction of being the only contractor to have built two Presidential libraries. This is also the second LEED Platinum project by Manhattan Construction in Dallas – the other being the University of North Texas Apogee Stadium, the first LEED Platinum collegiate stadium in the nation.
“It has been an honor to build the George W. Bush Presidential Center,” said Manhattan Construction project executive Mark Penny. “Manhattan has long been committed to developing technologies and techniques to support green construction and we are thrilled for the project to receive the highest level of LEED certification, Platinum.”
“As we approach the Bush Center’s April 25 dedication, we are proud to be recognized for our emphasis on sustainable building design,” said Mark Langdale, president of the George W. Bush Foundation.
Manhattan Construction, a member of the U.S Green Building Council, oversaw daily control of specialized materials and the recycling of construction debris in the team effort to achieve LEED certification. A few of the sustainable features that helped the George W. Bush Presidential Center achieve LEED Platinum certification include:
• Recycling of waste generated during construction
• Regionally-sourced building materials
• 20 percent recycled materials
• Deep building overhangs and sunshades to minimize solar heating loads
• Photovoltaic panels to meet 9.5 percent of the building’s energy demand
• Solar hot water panels to supply 100 percent of the building’s domestic hot water
• Insulated glazing units to reduce heating and cooling loads
• Green roofs, gardens, and highly reflective roofing materials to reduce heat island effect
• Highly efficient HVAC systems to reduce energy demand
• Low-VOC emitting products and finishes to maintain high indoor air quality
• Mechanical air filtration to maintain high indoor air quality
• Native landscape species to reduce irrigation need
• Harvesting and storing rain water to meet 50 percent of the irrigation demand
• Pre-treating of rain water before storage
The George W. Bush Presidential Center is set to open to the public on May 1, 2013. The 226,500-square-foot building will hold the George W. Bush Library, including the archives and museum, and the George W. Bush Institute. The site includes a 15-acre urban park featuring native landscaping such as a wildflower meadow, a tall grass prairie and savannah and woodland clearings. The project architect is Robert A. M. Stern Architects, LLP. and the landscape architect is Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates.
Visit The George W. Bush Presidential Center webcam by EarthCam: http://www.manhattanconstructiongroup.com/manhattan-construction/projects/webcams/george-w-bush-presidential-center
About Manhattan Construction Company:
Founded in 1896, Manhattan Construction is consistently recognized nationally by Engineering News-Record as a top 20 green builder. Manhattan operates from offices in Tulsa and Oklahoma City, Okla.; Dallas and Houston, Texas; Naples, Tampa, Fort Myers, Sarasota, Kissimmee, Fla.; Washington, D.C.; and Atlanta, Ga. Manhattan’s building portfolio includes corporate headquarters, institutional, healthcare, office, hospitality and leisure, sports and entertainment, aviation, retail, and judicial facilities throughout the United States, Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean. For more information visit: www.manhattanconstruction.com or connect with us @ManhattanBuild, via Facebook/ManhattanConstruction and on LinkedIn.
About the George W. Bush Presidential Center:
The George W. Bush Presidential Center is home to the Bush Presidential Library and Museum and the Bush Institute. The Bush Center’s 226,000-square-foot building and 15-acre urban park reside on the campus of Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas. President and Mrs. Bush founded the Bush Center to continue their work expanding freedom at home and around the globe. The Bush Presidential Library and Museum opens to the public on May 1, 2013. For more information, visit www.bushcenter.org.
About LEED:
LEED, or Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, is an internationally-recognized green building certification system. Developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), LEED provides building owners and operators with a framework for identifying and implementing practical and measurable green building design, construction, operations and maintenance solutions. For more information visit, www.usgbc.org.