The First Facility Management Blog

Illinois has been an early leader in green building construction, currently ranking sixth in the number of Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) buildings built, with the City of Chicago itself having more LEED® certified buildings than any other city in the country. This leadership continues with release of a report from the U.S. Green Building Council - Chicago Chapter (USGBC - Chicago) that provides a first look at post-occupancy performance of LEED buildings on a local scale.

The Regional Green Building Case Study Project: a Post-Occupancy Study of LEED Projects in Illinois report summarizes the first year of a multi-year study to analyze the post-occupancy benefits of 25 LEED certified projects in Illinois related to: energy use, greenhouse gas emissions, water use, construction and operating costs, cost of building green, health and productivity impacts, and occupant comfort. The study was funded by the Grand Victoria Foundation and is a collaborative endeavor between the USGBC-Chicago, U.S. EPA Region 5, the City of Chicago, Delta Institute, and the Center for Neighborhood Technology, which was the lead researcher for the project.

The study found that sustainability does not stop with building design and construction. While a building may be designed to be sustainable, it is often ongoing operational issues that affect the amount of energy, water, and other resources it consumes. Accordingly, ongoing performance evaluation is a key component of long-term sustainability.

“Sustainability must be integrated into ongoing operations and maintenance practices,” says Kathy Tholin, CEO of the Center for Neighborhood Technology, whose Chicago LEED Platinum building was a part of the study. “Constructing to LEED Platinum was a natural choice, given CNT’s long standing commitment to sustainable development,” explains Tholin. “But our job is far from complete. Now that we’re utilizing the space, sustainability means focusing on ongoing operations and maintenance. We’re striving for continuous improvement.”

The USGBC’s LEED Green Building Rating System is the nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction, and operation of high performance green buildings. LEED provides a roadmap for measuring and documenting success for every building type and phase of a building life cycle.

Doug Widener, executive director of the USGBC-Chicago Chapter emphasizes that “with an understanding of operational issues, tenant behavior, and maintenance practices, building owners and managers can implement ongoing changes that lead to increased building performance and sustainability over time.” Widener adds that “this report is an important step towards achieving our mission of leading the regional transformation of the built environment to become ecologically sustainable, profitable, and healthy.”

The report compliments the USGBC’s recently launched Building Performance Initiative. Beginning this fall, it has analyzed energy and other resource use data from LEED buildings and will provide this data back to building owners to allow for ongoing sustainability improvements over time.

The study also found that resource use varies in LEED buildings. Many participating projects performed better than conventional commercial interiors and buildings, with projects that focused on energy conservation as a part of their LEED strategy performing better in relation to energy use and conservation than projects that focused on other areas of sustainability. Given that LEED is a multifaceted system that rates a building’s sustainability on a variety of factors (including site, water efficiency, energy efficiency, materials and resources, and indoor environmental quality), projects that focused on energy conservation performed better in this area than projects that did not.

All buildings in the first year of the study were certified under older versions of LEED. Newer versions of the rating system mandate, as well as incent, higher levels of energy efficiency.

The results of occupant comfort in surveyed projects were very high, especially related to indoor air quality and lighting. The study also found that construction costs varied greatly, as do construction costs of conventional buildings, and that these are largely driven by programmatic issues. The average premium reported for building green was 3.8%; in line with the national average.

For the second year of the study, 25 additional Illinois LEED projects will be added to its sample for a total of 50. “We are excited by this initial year of the study, but are even more excited for the second year when we will add buildings certified under newer versions of LEED to see if these newer LEED buildings perform better,” notes Widener. “We are also collecting a second year of data for our first year projects. It will be interesting to see if operational changes made as a result of the study will result in improved efficiencies in these buildings.”

For the full report, send an e-mail to tfm@groupc.com with the words “Illinois LEED Report” in the subject line of your e-mail.

The tallest building in the Western Hemisphere was renamed Willis Tower today in a changing of the guard that underscores Chicago’s increasing importance as a major global financial and business center. Earlier this week, FacilityBlog posted an article about plans for significant sustainable modernization projects in the building as well.

Joseph J. Plumeri, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Willis Group Holdings (NYSE: WSH), the global insurance broker, and Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley officially introduced the new name together at a ceremony at Willis Tower attended by Chicago business, community and government leaders, the building’s owners and management, and Willis’ Chicago-area Associates.

Opened in 1973 as Sears Tower, the 110-story glass and steel structure remains the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere at 1,450 feet (442 meters). Willis Tower will be one of Willis’ three largest office locations, alongside New York and London. The company will occupy more than 140,000 square feet (13,000 square meters) of space in the building when nearly 500 Associates move in this summer from five area offices. Willis plans to add more jobs in Chicago in the coming years.

“Every member of the Willis family is honored to be associated with such an architectural icon and privileged to call this prestigious business address our new Midwest Region headquarters,” Plumeri said. “Above all, the naming of Willis Tower is an affirmation of our strong commitment to the great city of Chicago, its people and its future. Willis has been in Chicago since 1885, the same year that William LeBaron Jenney built the Home Insurance Building, the first skyscraper in the world. Over the years, we’ve grown as Chicago has grown, and we are delighted to be a part of the great future this dynamic city is building as a global financial center. We’re proud to call Chicago our home.”

Mayor Daley said: “Especially in these difficult economic times, a decision such as the one Willis has made sends an important message to all Chicago residents that our city is a vital place and that we are working hard to take the steps necessary to keep our economy moving. So I want to thank the company for their decision to locate in Chicago and for adding their presence to our skyline.”

At today’s ceremony, Willis presented a check for $100,000 to Chicago Cares, the city’s premier volunteer organization. Willis’ Chicago-area Associates have pledged thousands of hours of their time to serving the community. The company is also making a $100,000 donation to Chicago 2016 to support the bid to bring the Olympic Games to the city.

Scott Lorenz, Executive Director of Chicago Cares, said: “We are thrilled to partner with Willis and thank them for their generous investment in the Chicago community. Their commitment will support our work throughout the year, and we look forward to engaging Willis Associates in meaningful community service projects that help fellow Chicagoans in need.”

Patrick G. Ryan, Chairman and CEO of Chicago 2016, said: “Chicago 2016 has always received strong support from corporate donors, and we thank the Willis Group for their donation to help us bring the 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games to Chicago. We are in the final stretch of our campaign for the Games, and the continued support and guidance from the Chicago business community is vital to our success.”

Willis serves clients in some 190 countries through its team of some 20,000 Associates worldwide. Approximately half of its revenues are in North America, where it is known as Willis HRH following its acquisition of insurance intermediary Hilb Rogal & Hobbs (HRH) in October 2008. Willis HRH is one of the most prominent retail insurance brokers in the Chicago market, arranging property and casualty and other insurance coverage for businesses of all sizes.

“Willis is about bringing people together and building trust, which is why our move into Willis Tower means so much for our Associates, our clients and our place in the larger business community,” said Don Bailey, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Willis HRH. “This great tower is truly a symbol of Chicago’s vibrancy, success and distinctiveness as a world-class city. We hope other successful businesses will join us here and be part of the growth and excitement Chicago has to offer.”

John Huston, Executive Vice President of American Landmark Properties, Ltd., part of the real estate investment group that owns the building, said: “The name Willis Tower is the most visible symbol of significant momentum and progress at this great, iconic building. We are under way with an unprecedented greening renovation program. We’ve opened a thrilling new attraction in our Skydeck called The Ledge. And we are proud to welcome a great company like Willis to the building, and to our front door.”

Joseph Moinian, CEO, The Moinian Group, also part of the ownership group, said: “We are thrilled to have a new major tenant in Willis Group Holdings at this iconic Chicago landmark. With this move, Willis is making a major commitment to grow its regional headquarters in downtown Chicago. The transaction will create many new jobs for the city and strengthen Willis Tower as the best place to work and to visit in the City of Chicago.”

With the naming of Willis Tower, the three tallest buildings in Chicago all now have names associated with insurance industry leaders, reflecting the growing role the industry plays in the city’s 21st century economy. Willis Tower was designed by architects Skidmore, Owings & Merrill for Sears, Roebuck & Company. Sears sold the Tower in 1994 and vacated it completely by 1995.

For more information on the sustainability efforts of the Willis Tower, make sure to check out Facility Blog’s recent story here.

Willis Tower is owned by 233 S. Wacker Drive LLC, a real estate investment group formed in 2004 to purchase the tower. Ownership includes Yisroel Gluck and John Huston of American Landmark Properties, Ltd., based in Skokie, Ill.; and partners Joseph Chetrit of the Chetrit Group, and Joseph Moinian of The Moinian Group. U.S. Equities Asset Management LLC, headquartered in Chicago, provides management and leasing services to the property. Michael Kazmierczak, Senior Vice President, U.S. Equities, represented the building in lease negotiations. Josh Kuriloff, Vice Chairman, and Kent Ilhardt, Executive Vice President, Cushman & Wakefield, represented Willis.

Willis Group Holdings Limited is a leading global insurance broker, developing and delivering professional insurance, reinsurance, risk management, financial and human resource consulting and actuarial services to corporations, public entities and institutions around the world. Willis has more than 400 offices in nearly 120 countries, with a global team of approximately 20,000 Associates serving clients in some 190 countries. Additional information on Willis may be found at www.willis.com. Information about the building can be found at www.willistower.com.

On Wednesday, June 24, 2009, executives at the Sears Tower announced plans for the most significant sustainable modernization projects of an existing building ever undertaken. The project will result in energy savings and reduced CO2 emissions to the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere, cutting base building electricity use by up to 80% (by way of a combination of energy savings and cogeneration). The energy savings will equal 68 million kilowatt hours annually or 150,000 barrels of oil every year.

The sustainability plans also intend to drive economic development in the West Loop, creating more than 3,600 jobs. This is all part of a broader initiative to transform the global icon.

“Sears Tower (pictured, left, with new new Skydeck on the 103rd floor), an iconic structure that defines the city’s skyline, will undergo a groundbreaking transformation that creates economic growth with positive impact on our environment, leaving a lasting legacy for future generations,” said John Huston of American Landmark Properties, representing the partnership that owns Sears Tower. “The changes made and benefits realized through the bold sustainable initiatives at the tower serve as an example that a sustainable future is more than a concept, it is within our reach.”

The building, which already meets Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) criteria, will undertake sustainability initiatives above and beyond those used by the United Stated Green Building Council to rate a green building. Modernization strategies, designed by Chicago-based Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture (AS+GG), include:

• Efficiency improvements to the building’s exterior envelope and windows. The tower has 16,000 single pane windows. Sustainability plans for the building call for a window replacement and glazing program. Strategies to achieve a thermal break of the curtainwall are also being investigated. These upgrades would achieve savings of up to 60% of heating energy.
• Mechanical system upgrades in the form of new gas boilers that use fuel cell technologies, which generate electricity, heating, and cooling at as much as 90% efficiency. Mechanical upgrades will also include new high-efficiency chillers and upgrades to the distribution system.
• The tower’s 104 high speed elevators and 15 escalators that will be modernized with the latest technology to achieve 40% reduction in their energy consumption.
• Water savings that will be realized with conservation initiatives through upgrades to restroom fixtures, condensation recovery systems, and water efficient landscaping, which will reduce water usage by 40% and save 24 million gallons of water each year.
• Lighting that will be upgraded through advanced lighting control systems and daylight harvesting, an advanced lighting control system that automatically dims lights in tenant spaces based on the amount of sunlight entering through the windows. Combined, these upgrades will save up to 40% of lighting energy consumption.
• Renewable energy like wind and solar, and technologies like green roofs that will be tested. Wind turbines will be tested to take advantage of the tower’s height and unique set-back roof areas. Solar hot-water panels will help heat water for the building. Green roofs that can sustain high-altitude conditions, and that will be among the tallest in the world, will be tested to reduce storm water runoff, improve insulation, help mitigate the urban heat island effect, and provide pleasant vistas for tenants overlooking the areas.

“Buildings are the world’s largest contributor to carbon emissions; therefore, the biggest opportunity to address climate change is to retrofit existing structures,” said Adrian Smith, partner, AS+GG. “Our goal in the Sears Tower greening project is to create a holistic approach that integrates high-performance building technologies and design strategies for maximum energy efficiency. In the process, we hope to set a benchmark for how high-rise buildings throughout the world can limit their impact on the environment.”

“Sustainable architecture in new buildings is important but not enough to address the climate and energy crises facing our world,” added Gordon Gill, partner, AS+GG. “We have to apply what we’ve learned to our existing stock of commercial buildings—especially iconic structures such as Sears Tower, which we hope will inspire similar initiatives around the globe. These will serve as great examples for building owners and facility managers and can reposition existing building stock to be as competitive as most new buildings or even better.”

As an important part of the modernization program, Sears Tower’s plazas and retail spaces will also undergo changes. A new park at Wacker Drive and Adams Street will be an inviting public space with landscaping and seating. The Adams Street granite wall will be replaced with an interactive digital display, glass storefronts, and trees, which will be planted to form a landscaped terrace that will add a natural filter for carbon dioxide.

In addition to the most significant energy efficiency renovations ever undertaken on an existing building, another aspect of the transformation is a proposed new, privately funded hotel for the site at Jackson Boulevard and Wacker Drive. The hotel will be designed for a LEED Gold rating and will become one of the most sustainable hotels in Chicago. The hotel will fill a critical need in the West Loop and provide a much welcomed facility for existing building tenants.

The reduction in energy use and CO2 emissions realized through the sustainability and modernization plans for the tower also brings economic opportunities by creating more than 3,600 jobs. Extending its impact beyond the site itself, the project will feature a dynamic Sustainable Technology Learning Center that is designed to help building visitors and Chicago tourists learn about ways to save energy and money, as Sears Tower serves as a laboratory that demonstrates to the office building industry how a sustainability program can be accomplished.

“The plans for the building bring new activity to the West Loop and make it even more attractive to current and future tenants who are looking for more sustainable office solutions,” said Robert A. Wislow, chairman and CEO of U.S. Equities Asset Management, the management and leasing agent for the tower. “Today, tenants want the buildings they inhabit to be environmentally friendly and more healthy for their employees. They demand sustainable workplaces. They are doing this because it is the right thing to do, has a positive effect on the environment, helps make their employees more productive, and is becoming more and more important to their employees.”

The cost of construction for the Sears Tower project is estimated at $350 million. A number of private and public financing and funding options are being explored. The majority of the energy savings will be realized in approximately five years and work will start immediately.

“The Illinois Environmental Council supports private and public investments in projects that spur job creation and economic development here in Illinois, while helping to meet the challenge of global climate change,” said Charles Jackson, IEC executive director. “The Sears Tower energy sustainability and environmental education project presents a tremendous opportunity for inspiring building owners and the public to aspire to the highest standards of energy-efficiency.”

Sears Tower’s commitment to energy efficiency is well established. Since 1989, the building has reduced its annual electricity consumption by 34%. Since 1984, its energy efficiency improvements have resulted in a reduction of 51 million pounds of carbon emissions annually, or the equivalent of removing more than 4,400 cars from the road each year.

Sears Tower offers more than 4.5 million square feet of office and retail space. Located in Chicago’s West Loop at 233 S. Wacker Drive, the skyscraper stands 1,450 feet and 110 stories tall. Originally opened in September 1973, it is home to more than 100 different companies and boasts spectacular views that can reach nearly 50 miles on a clear day. Sears Tower also boasts a tremendous infrastructure system, which includes enormous telecommunications capacity and unsurpassed electrical capacity and reliability. The Sears Tower Skydeck on the 103rd floor attracts more than 1.3 million visitors per year.