by Shane Henson — December 4, 2013—The Deutsche Asset & Wealth Management division of global financial services provider Deutsche Bank recently announced that its office building located at 1800 K St. in Washington, DC, is the first building in the world to earn certification (Silver) through the new, more stringent LEED v4 Operations and Maintenance (O+M): Existing Building rating system.
In addition, the 224,000-square-foot office building, managed by real estate services firm Transwestern, is reportedly only the second project worldwide to obtain any of the 21 various rating system adaptations available under the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC)’s newly updated Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design third-party program for verification of green buildings, LEED v4.
The USGBC simultaneously awarded the Washington, DC, asset with LEED Gold certification for Existing Buildings: Operations and Maintenance (LEED EBOM) through v2009, the most recent rating system before the creation of LEED v4. Deutsche Asset & Wealth Management says it pursued the LEED certifications for 1800 K St. as part of a market-driven portfolio improvement program.
Transwestern’s sustainability services team oversaw the certification process of 1800 K St., directing the on-site property management team and setting operating and maintenance procedures. Deutsche Asset & Wealth Management was able to make LEED v4 history due in large part to property management strategies implemented by Transwestern as part of its long-standing commitment to sustainability. The firm trains property management teams throughout its portfolio of managed buildings to integrate sustainable improvements whenever possible, notes Deutsche Asset & Wealth Management.
Transwestern’s sustainability services team included a tenant engagement component in both of the certification projects. Tenants have a significant impact on the efficiency and sustainability of an office building. When occupiers’ preferences are taken into account when making building-wide decisions, they are more satisfied with their work environment and take more of an interest in achieving long-term sustainability goals of the building, says Transwestern. Improvements at the property include:
- Installation of MERV 13 filters at all outdoor air intake locations
- Upgrading all plumbing fixtures to meet WaterSense requirements
- Achieving an ENERGY STAR rating of 81
- Offsetting 27 percent of electrical usage with sustainable power
- Recycling 61 percent of office waste
- Implementing a sustainable purchasing program for all cleaning products and equipment
