STATE OFFICE TOWER RECOGNIZED WITH PRESTIGIOUS ENERGY AWARD

For Immediate Release: October 31, 2012

HONOLULU — The State Office Tower has earned a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold level certification in the category of operations and maintenance of existing buildings. It is Hawaii’s first State-owned and operated building certified as Gold under LEED for Existing Buildings: Operations and Maintenance (EBOM) Program. It has the further distinction of being the only publicly- and/or privately-owned large office building in the State to earn LEED Gold under the EBOM Program.

Developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), the LEED rating system is a third-party verification process that is the nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction, and operation of high-performance green buildings.

“Seeking energy independence is a commitment that is made at all levels – government, business, community, family and individual,” said Governor Neil Abercrombie. “I want to thank the state employees at the Leiopapa a Kamehameha Building for setting an example of what can be done collectively as we continue to set ambitious energy goals across the state.”

Located at 235 South Beretania Street in Downtown Honolulu, the State Office Tower, also known as the Leiopapa a Kamehameha Building, currently houses a number of state agencies and is managed by the Department of Accounting and General Services (DAGS).

This distinction awarded to the State of Hawai‘i is a third-party verification that the 161,000-square foot State Office Tower is being operated in a manner that maximizes operational efficiency and positive environmental impacts. With assistance from an energy saving performance contracting firm, NORESCO, and technical assistance from Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism (DBEDT), the certification process guided the State of Hawai‘i’s facilities and energy teams in identifying the following objectives for the State Office Tower:
• Reduce energy, water and resource consumption
• Enhance the indoor environment
• Drive down operations costs

Improvements to the State Office Tower resulted in reduced energy and water use through the following actions:
• Lighting retrofits and controls including efficient light fixtures and lamps to perform beyond the required standards
• Use of environmentally friendly building materials
• Reuse of existing furniture and equipment
• Green training and education for tenants and employees
• Green cleaning policy to decrease the exposure to potentially hazardous chemical, biological and particulate contaminants
• Use of low-flush and low-flow water fixtures, saving an estimated 248,790 gallons a year, a 44% water use reduction savings
• Diversion of over half of its waste stream from the landfill

The State Office Tower has achieved a score of 96 under the ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager program. A rating of 96 indicates that the building, from an energy consumption standpoint, performs better than 96% of all similar buildings nationwide, while a rating of 75 indicates that the building performs better than 75% of all similar buildings nationwide. Based on source energy, EPA’s energy performance rating system accounts for the impact of weather variations as well as changes in key physical and operating characteristics of each building. Buildings rating 75 or greater may qualify for the ENERGY STAR label.

Five other buildings (public and privately owned) in the State have received LEED certifications for Existing Buildings: Operations and Maintenance. Of these buildings, two smaller buildings are LEED Gold EBOM. There are ten State of Hawai‘i public buildings that have received other certifications under the LEED New Construction or Commercial Interiors Programs.

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For more information, contact:

Noreen Kam
Communications Officer
DBEDT’s State Energy Office
Phone: (808) 587-3860

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