Boldt Constructions new regional office
Boldt's headquarters to be showcase of Earth-friendly design, construction
By Richard Mize
The Oklahoman
Boldt Co.'s new Southern division headquarters will be green to the extreme -- not in hue but in the environmental sense.
The $6.5 million, 42,000-square-foot building under way at 101 W Hefner Road, on the west side of Broadway Extension, will be a showcase of green building and design.
It will be the first commercial building in Oklahoma City constructed to "environmentally sustainable construction standards," said Jerry Ennis, president of Boldt Construction's Southern operations.
The definition of "green building" goes beyond strict environmental concerns. In general, it refers to an array of land use, building design and construction strategies that are both friendly to the environment and economically beneficial to the property owner or operator.
"This will be a one-of-the kind corporate building for Oklahoma," said Jim Hasenbeck, managing partner of Oklahoma City's Studio Architecture, which designed Boldt's regional headquarters. "Boldt's headquarters will be on the cutting edge for energy and environmental management."
The building has been in the works for two years. Boldt, based in Appleton, Wis., announced it would move from leased space on Memorial Road west of Lincoln Boulevard after creation of the regional division in mid-2002.
Oklahoma City, Memphis, Tenn., and Augusta, Ga., each had offices reporting to Appleton. Under the new corporate structure, Memphis and Augusta now report to Oklahoma City.
Boldt did not reveal the green theme of the project until this week, however.
Boldt is constructing the building according to guidelines from the U.S. Green Building Council to achieve the silver certification of the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design rating system, known in green building circles as LEED.
LEED certification is reserved for companies that lead in the green building movement, Ennis said.
Making the new regional headquarters lean so toward green "reflects our commitment to environmental and energy management," he said.
"It places us squarely out in front in this area and it will be a terrific tool to educate others on the advantages of green building principles."
Green means more than using recycled materials when possible and recycling waste materials during construction, Ennis said. The idea includes paying attention to the way buildings are laid out, as well as the way they are used.
"One of the things is if you have a bike rack, so people can have an opportunity to ride their bikes to work," he said, noting that adding employee showers to further encourage bicycling -- and discourage driving -- garners extra LEED credit.
Another example: The exterior walls of the new Boldt building's warehouse area will be in staggered segments allowing natural light to enter through floor-to-ceiling windows built into the narrow cross-sections.
On a more technical level, the LEED program requires erosion, sedimentation and site control during construction, maintaining minimum indoor air quality, installing specific equipment that does not use chlorofluorocarbon-based refrigerants and following a stringent waste collection and storage plan.
Taking the extra measures to make construction as well as operation of the building earth-friendly will add between $275,000 and $300,000 to the cost, Ennis said.
Efficiency increases of 6 percent in the electrical system, 21 percent in the mechanical system and 11 percent attributed to passive design features such as window shading and extended roof lines will be paid for in 68 months, based on estimated savings of $4,000 per month on operating costs, he said.
That projection assumes energy costs remain stable, which is unlikely. Ennis pointed out that rising energy costs will shorten the payback time for the green innovations.
Ennis said Boldt is going green in Oklahoma City for several reasons.
The company has enjoyed energy savings at other sites that allow the innovations to pay for themselves fairly quickly. Employees seem happier in such environments.
Demand for a green approach to construction and building operation is growing, especially in the health and medical office fields.
"And we consider ourselves pretty good stewards of the environment," he said. "We think we're one of the leaders out in front in green building and design. I'm actually looking forward to seeing the reaction of our employees to their new home."
Boldt, in Oklahoma City since 1984, employs 35 at the Southern headquarters and more than 300 in all in Oklahoma.
Originally Posted by Patrick
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