Thornton Tomasetti announced that its Kansas City, Missouri office at 323 Grand Blvd. has achieved LEED Commercial Interiors (CI) Gold certification from the U.S. Green Building Council.
Thornton Tomasetti acted as its own LEED consultant for the Kansas City project, in collaboration with interiors architect 360 Architects (now part of HOK).
Lighting design was optimized to result in a 21 percent reduction in power use. Occupancy and daylight controls further reduce electricity load, earning the office 27 out of a possible 33 credits in the energy category. The Kansas City office was also awarded credits for using low mercury lights.
All furniture met Greenguard or ANSI/BIFMA testing standards for low chemical emissions, and the carpeting is CRI Green Label Plus certified. The adhesives, sealants, paints and coatings used in the office were low in volatile organic compounds.
The firm also served as commissioning agent, utilizing the expertise of its Sustainability and MEP staff. Involved in the effort were Project Director Heather Walters, LEED AP and Vice President Mike Dowdall, P.E. Also on the team were MEP consultants Henderson Engineers and Assurant Employee Benefits, the building’s management company.
Many of the credits were earned in the energy category. In keeping with Thornton Tomasetti’s corporate guidelines of using Energy Star appliances, 95 percent of all equipment in the Kansas City is Energy Star rated.
Currently the firm has four LEED Certified offices with four others applying to receive certification within a year.
