Neyer Properties achieves LEED Gold for Evanston HQ

Neyer Properties has achieved LEED Gold certification from the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) for the commercial interior of its headquarters at Keystone Parke in Evanston.

The project is the first commercial interior in the region to receive LEED Gold certification.

"The urgency of USGBC's mission has challenged the industry to move faster and reach further than ever before, and Neyer Properties serves as a prime example with just how much we can accomplish," says Rick Fedrizzi, president, CEO, and founding chair of the USGBC.

To achieve the certification, the firm included in its offices high-efficiency windows with access to daylight and views, low-flow fixtures that reduce water consumption by 40 percent, motion-detector lighting that adjusts to the availability of daylight and movement within the office, and bamboo flooring.

Fifty percent of the electricity used by the company has been offset through the purchase of Green e-Energy certified renewable energy credits for its first two years of occupancy – the equivalent of planting 604 mature trees or not driving an automobile 149,651 miles, according to Renewable Choice Energy.

More than 40 percent of the building materials were manufactured in the region, with a significant amount containing recycled content.

The core and shell for Neyer Properties' headquarters, part of the $100 million Keystone Parke development, achieved LEED Silver certification earlier this year.

The green office campus is an example of Neyer Properties president Dan Neyer's commitment to build all new Class A office space to LEED standards.

"Green building will eventually become the standard for all building, because it makes economic sense to do so," he says.  "Green building saves energy, materials, the environment, and provides a healthier, happier environment for employees.  Energy efficiency saves money for both building owners and tenants."

Writer: Kevin LeMaster
Sources: Susan Chapin, director of Marketing, Neyer Properties; Melinda Zemper, Oak Tree Communications, LLC