Project Overview
Brookfield Properties’ Cleveland office achieved LEED Silver Certification under the v4 ID+C rating system in June 2019. The project included 113,000 square feet on six levels of Key Bank Tower in downtown Cleveland. Collaboration, workflow, occupant comfort, material use, energy efficiency, and water efficiency were all highlighted in the project. Located in the heart of Cleveland, Brookfield Properties’ employees and visitors benefit from the wide range of public transportation, restaurants, community facilities, and services within walking distance, reducing required motor vehicle usage. Brookfield Properties also provides bike racks for employees and visitors, which allows them to take advantage of the nearby bikeable streets and bike lanes. The project’s interior design team took great care in selecting furniture and finishings for this project. Most of the furniture, carpet, laminate flooring, and insulation used on the project demonstrate positive life-cycle impacts in environmental, economic, and socially preferable categories. Additionally, many have certifications such as Health Product Declarations, Cradle to Cradle certification, Declare labels or meet the ANSI/BIFMA e3 Furniture Sustainability Standard. Workstation layouts integrate ergonomic principles such as adjustable desks and chairs, a standing desk option, adequate task lighting and an open layout, allowing for movement and stretching. Employees are surveyed to ensure occupancy comfort within the project, with management's commitment to addressing any arising issues. All adhesives, sealants, paints, and coatings used on the project were low or no VOC emitting products, while all flooring installed met stringent emissions criteria. Over 20% of the products used on the project contain recycled content. Carpet, acoustical panels, and most of the furniture installed on the project were involved in product ‘take-back’ programs, which reduced the number of products going to landfill. The long-term lease commitment on this space reinforces the company’s commitment to sustainable performance. Utilizing Energy Star certified equipment and appliances (such as refrigerators, dishwashers, laptops, monitors, and other office equipment), efficient lighting (including daylighting controls), and advanced energy design with a fully integrated building automation system, the project was able to substantially reduce energy use from the baseline. For the energy the building uses, over 50% is supplied by RECs and Carbon Offsets. To address water conservation, low-flow toilets, urinals, bathroom faucets and kitchen faucets were selected, reducing water use by more than 30% from the baseline.
