Green building techniques — soon to be mandated in Florida — have the power to improve the quality of life of entire communities. Strategies being incorporated into Miami’s Brickell Financial Centre (BFC), for example, focus on the use of sustainable and renewable materials, systems that reduce energy consumption, and other practices designed to minimize the building’s overall impact on the natural environment.
The 40-story Brickell Financial Centre, now under construction at 680 Brickell Ave. in Miami, is working to achieve LEED platinum status, the highest possible designation, when it is ready for occupancy in fall 2009. RTKL Associates Inc., in collaboration with sustainable design consultants BVM Engineering in Atlanta and interior planners from Perkins+Will in Miami, designed BFC, which will have 600,936 square feet of office space above retail and parking in the first phase. A Metrorail stop at the 6th Street corner of the property makes public transportation a viable option.
The rewards of green building may, at first glance, seem difficult for a building’s users to measure. But this approach delivers immediate, tangible benefits to the people who will spend time within BFC’s interior spaces. I’m referring to the healthier indoor air quality that can be achieved through careful planning and rigorous adherence to Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standards. LEED’s Green Building Rating System is the nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction and operation of high-performance green buildings.
Strategies to ensure the air that BFC’s occupants breathe will be substantially free of harmful vapors, fumes and mold began on the drawing board and will extend throughout the construction process.
An interior air quality management plan has been put into place to assure ductwork is sealed and air filters are changed frequently during the early, dirtiest phases of construction, when particles and moisture fill the air. Preventing microbial growth in air ducts and inside walls during construction is critical for controlling air quality long term. Removing contaminants after a building is costly and difficult.
Adhesives and sealants are critical to the green building process, because they improve a building’s energy efficiency. But the chemicals they contain emit into the atmosphere, resulting in air pollution that can irritate allergies and asthmatic conditions, and potentially lead to health risks. To minimize such risks, BFC is using low-VOC (volatile organic com-pound) sealants, adhesives and paints for construction components and finishes. The solid wood, metal, and formaldehyde-free materials that have been specified for BFC will also lessen the potential for indoor emissions.
BFC occupants will have individual controls for the lighting and HVAC in office areas, and the option of monitoring the quality of their indoor air with CO2 sensors.
We all know from experience that indoor air quality can affect workers’ health, comfort and productivity. Our goal with this building — a goal we know that tenants share — is to boost worker productivity and decrease absenteeism while, at the same time, promoting a healthier environment for future generations.
While the beauty of this building’s outer shell will add to Miami’s visual fabric, the quality of its interior air has serious implications for those who will spend thousands of hours a year within its walls. Brickell Financial Centre is proud to take the lead by demonstrating that distinctive architecture and healthy interior air quality are achievable through green building practices.
