BOLINGBROOK, IL - Irgens Development Partners, LLC recently celebrated a sustainable construction milestone when Remington Medical Commons became the first building in the state of Illinois to be recognized for achievements in sustainable design and construction, which were identified using the Green Building Initiative's (GBI) Green Globes™ environmental assessment and rating system for commercial buildings.
Roger C. Claar, Mayor of Bolingbrook, IL, was among dignitaries attending a special dedication ceremony at the building. During the ceremony, Mark Rossolo, GBI's director of state and local outreach, presented Irgens Development Partners leaders with a plaque recognizing the building's achievement
Remington Medical Commons was recognized for, among other things, the selection of environmentally friendly building materials, the incorporation of an integrated design process, implementing the site design and enhancement measures to minimize the building's environmental impact, and for undertaking strategies used to ensure that the building's indoor environment is healthy and comfortable.
"With the high tax that buildings place on our environment, sustainability should be considered for every project-from our own houses to state buildings to sky scrapers to hospitals," says Rossolo. "Remington Medical Commons is a perfect example of a project that combines the innovation of environmental design with the functionality of a medical care facility. As the second building in Irgens Development Partners' portfolio to achieve a Green Globes rating, this building illustrates the company's commitment to providing a healthy working environment for employees while also having less of an impact on their surrounding community."
Green Globes is a revolutionary green building guidance and assessment program that has been available in the United States for the past four years. The system has been officially recognized by legislation or executive order in 18 states as well as by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of the Interior. In addition, Green Globes has been formally recognized by private sector institutions such as Aon, Liberty Mutual and the Fireman's Fund.
Remington Medical Commons is a Class A medical office building located near the new Adventist Bolingbrook Hospital. The facility offers state-of-the-art accommodations for large family practice and orthopedics groups, consisting of primary care physicians and a diverse mix of medical specialists.
"We pursued a rating from the Green Globes system for this project as part of our commitment to enhancing the environment in our community as well as the health of the facility's tenants," says Rick Nelson, vice president of Irgens Development Partners. "Due to the nature of the work in the facility, the physicians and patients of Remington Medical Commons Facility place indoor environment and air quality as top priorities so employing green principles for our tenants was paramount. The Green Globes system provided us with a user-friendly and affordable tool, which helped us meet these goals while also reducing our impact on the environment and the surrounding community."
To achieve a Green Globes rating, Harris Architects completed the online Green Globes for New Construction survey which provides an initial calculation of points the project is likely to achieve, as well as a report noting opportunities for improvement. Following completion of the survey, a GBI authorized third-party building science expert was engaged to review the completed construction documents as part of GBI's Stage I review process. The third-party expert then conducted a site visit and walked through the building with a member of the building project team. This site visit, which includes additional documentation review on-site, is part of GBI's State II review process. Following the Stage II review, the third-party assessor confirms or adjusts the initial percentage of points achieved. Based on this final rating, Remington Medical Commons achieved a Green Globes rating.
Remington Medical Commons is just one of many buildings that have achieved a Green Globes rating. Others include the Chandler Airport Commerce Center, an Irgens Development Partners, LLC project in Chandler, AZ, in addition to: the Clinton Library in Little Rock, AR; Blakely Hall in Issaquah, WA; the Pfizer Inc. Clinical Research Unit in New Haven, CT; the NewPage Corporate Headquarters in Dayton, Ohio, the RenewAire, LLC corporate headquarters in Madison, WI; and the Materials Recovery Facility in Summit County, CO.
For more information about the GBI or Green Globes, visit www.thegbi.org.
About The Green Building Initiative™
The mission of the Green Building Initiative is to accelerate the adoption of building practices that result in energy-efficient, healthier and environmentally sustainable buildings by promoting credible and practical green building approaches. A not-for-profit education initiative, the GBI is supported by a broad cross section of organizations and individuals with an interest in residential and commercial construction. For more information on the Green Building Initiative, visit www.thegbi.org.
