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Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan/Steketees Building

• 86 Monroe Center NW, Grand Rapids, MI 49503
• The old Steketees building was built in 1917 in downtown Grand Rapids and was a successful retail establishment for many decades. In the 1980’s, the retail focus in the downtown area largely disappeared and the building was left vacant. In 2003, the 105,053 square foot store was renovated by Design Plus and Rockford Construction. The eight-story, 108,000-square-foot structure now houses the offices of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, bank offices, and an independent bookstore (the Book Nook) and café. Completed in 2004, the building earned basic LEED certification (LEED NC, v2.1).

Christman Building

• 408 Kalamazoo Plaza, Lansing, MI 48933
• The Christman Building is the first to earn dual LEED Platinum certification. The 60,000 square foot historical building was renovated by SmithGroup and earned LEED Platinum certification for the construction of the building (LEED CS 2.0) and for the interior (LEED CI 2.0).
• Green Features:
• The building is located on a brownfield site in downtown Lansing to avoid suburban sprawl and encourage public transportation. Showers and locker rooms are also available for those who choose to walk or bike to work.
• The installation of efficient lighting and equipment reduces energy use by 34%.
• An under-floor air distribution system provides 200-300% more ventilation than conventional systems.
• Water consumption is reduced by 40% through the use of low flow fixtures.
• The white roof and an additional six inches of installation mitigate the heat island effect.
• By using recycled and regionally manufactured materials, 77% of construction debris was diverted from landfills.
• The building contains a computerized management system which measures and tracks electricity, gas use, and atmospheric conditions inside the building. This is used to operate the building with maximum efficiency and comfort while also encouraging conservation.

City of Grand Rapids- Water/Environmental Services Facility

Photo courtesy of the City of Grand Rapids and FTC&H

• 1900 Oak Industrial Drive NE, Grand Rapids, MI
• The Grand Rapids Water/Environmental Services facility replaced the Water Administration Building to accommodate the expansion of a local company and assist in the area’s economic development. The project was taken to the Planning Commission for site plan review and members of the Planning Commission were extremely pleased with the environmentally friendly components incorporated into the design. City staff began researching LEED certification when the commission members suggested pursuing LEED Certification. After becoming more familiar with this program, Fishbeck, Thompson, Carr & Huber (FTC&H) was contacted to request a preliminary design review for possible building certification. FTC&H was retained as the LEED commissioning agent and the bid specs were modified to include the necessary revisions to incorporate LEED certification requirements. The City of Grand Rapids also became a member of the US Green Building Council at this time.
• Ground was broken in May 2003 and on March 1, 2004, the doors were opened for day to day operations. This was only accomplished through the diligent work efforts of Dykema Excavators, Terhorst & Rinzema Construction, Post Associates, Inc and various City Staff and departments. The Water/Environmental Services building became the first municipally owned LEED certified building in Michigan (LEED NC, v2.1- basic rating). LEED Certification has enabled the City to be the first in the area to promote environmentally friendly building practices to local developers and contractors. It also provides the opportunity to educate the general public about environmental issues. Employees gained the benefits of natural light and views, no dangerous off-gassing from building materials, a clean air handling system, thermal comfort and various other items that were identified as LEED criteria. The facility also showcases a variety of storm water management systems. The City continues to promote environmentally friendly and sustainable building practices. On June 28, 2005 the City Commission unanimously adopted a resolution endorsing the goals of the U.S. Mayors Climate Protection Agreement.

Detroit Lions Headquarters and Training Facility

Photo courtesy of Steve Kovich/Detroit Lions

• 222 Republic Drive, Allen Park, MI 48101
• The franchise broke ground in August 2000 and completed the $35.5 million building in March 2002. The 460,000 square foot complex features bamboo flooring (a rapidly renewable resource), rubber flooring, motion sensor lights, low VOC carpets and paints, and a playing field made from FieldTurf (sand and recycled rubber infill between blades of soft polyethylene & polypropylene fibers). The building obtained basic LEED certification under LEED NC, v2.0.

First National Bank in Howell - Green Oak Township Office

Photo courtesy of FNB

• 9775 M-36, Whitmore Lake, MI 48189
• The First National Bank in Howell partnered with A3C Collaborative Architecture in the design of the new building that earned basic LEED certification (LEED NC, v2.1). The owners expected green features to result in energy and water usage savings of nearly 50% each. First National Bank is the second smallest building and only one of two banks in the country to receive the certification. It is also the first bank in Michigan to be LEED certified. Building features include wood from sustainably managed forests, cellulose insulation from recycled newspaper, and ceramic tile made from recycled glass.

Harborside Office Center

Acheson Ventures LLC

• 1411 3rd Street, Port Huron, Michigan
• The Harborside Office Center is part of a larger (77-acre) Brownfield redevelopment project along the St. Clair River called Desmond Landing. The 110,000 square foot, four-story tenant office building has a steel frame with brick facade at grade and glass curtain wall at the upper stories. SEMCO Energy (the local natural gas company), Precision Computers, and Citizens First Bank Data Center are tenants in the structure. Owned by Acheson Ventures, LLC., the Port Huron project earned a silver LEED Certification (LEED CS, v1.0 (pilot)). The designer for the project was Albert Kahn Associates, Inc. and the constructor was Clark Construction Company.

Helmus Building

Photo courtesy of Bazzani Associates

• 959 Wealthy Street SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49506
• Completed in February 2003, the Helmus building earned a silver LEED rating (LEED-NC, v2.0) and was the first project in the City of Grand Rapids (Michigan) to earn LEED certification. The project was a renovation of a historic 1918 building previously used as a dry storage building. It is currently a mixed-use facility housing the Bazzani Associates offices, the Bazzani residence, and residential tenants. In addition to being insulated to exceed the ASHRAE 90.1-1999 standard by 30%, notable features of the Helmus Building include xeriscaping, a vegetated roof, and Low-E windows.

Kresge Foundation Headquarters

• 3215 West Big Beaver Road, Troy, MI 48084
• The Kresge Foundation renovated a historic building on their already existing three-acre site to serve as a new headquarters. In June 2008 the U.S. Green Building Council awarded this two-level, 19,500-square-foot building with platinum level LEED certification (LEED NC, v 2.1).
• Green Features:
• A large portion of the building is embedded underground to utilize the Earth’s natural insulation capabilities. This reduces both the heating and cooling requirements for the facility.
• A state-of-the-art geothermal system is used to heat and cool the offices, meeting rooms, and common areas.
• The building is oriented with the longest sections facing north and south. This allows every office to have natural light reducing the need for artificial light.
• Seventy-six percent of the building materials came from facilities within 500 miles of the site.
• Wire, fenced-shaped baskets filled with recycled concrete from the project site serve as the retaining walls that were needed for the portion of the building embedded in the ground. This reduced the amount of waste sent to the landfill and provided a distinct exterior design feature.
• Seventy-two percent of the site is covered with native plants that require little maintenance, reducing the structure's demand on the community’s drinking water. The water needed for landscaping is obtained through direct rainfall or rain water collected by a cistern.
• Dual-flush toilets and waterless urinals minimize the use of potable water.

Plante and Moran

• 634 Front Ave. NW, Suite 400, Grand Rapids, MI 49504
• Plante and Moran’s new Grand Rapids office building has received LEED Gold certification for Commercial Interiors from the U.S. Green Building Council.
• Green Features:
• A white roof reduces the heat island effect and energy usage.
• The installation of water efficient plumbing and fixtures reduces water use by 42%.
• Fifty percent of all construction waste was recycled and thus diverted from landfills.
• Thirty percent of the office furnishings and furniture was reused in the new office; the rest was donated to non-profits in the surrounding area.
• More than 75% of occupied spaces have direct access to windows and views of the outdoors.
• Throughout the construction process, low emitting materials, paints, sealants, and adhesives were used.

Funded by the Steelcase Foundation of Grand Rapids, Michigan
Header photo courtesy of Bigfoto
Site by CMC/GrandNet