NEW YORK-- Transwestern’s Los Angeles office today announced that 5055 Wilshire Boulevard has been awarded Leadership in Energy and Environment Design (LEED®) Silver certification under the U.S. Green Building Council’s latest specification for existing buildings, LEED for Existing Buildings: Operations & Maintenance (LEED EB O&M).
According to the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), only one other LEED EB O&M-certified building is on record in the U.S. - the Colorado State Capitol - making 5055 Wilshire the first in California and the first commercial office property in the nation to be certified under the new O&M program, which was launched in April of 2008.
Located in Los Angeles’ legendary Miracle Mile, 5055 Wilshire is a 170,000-sf, Class A office building occupied by such media tenants, including The Hollywood Reporter, Billboard Magazine, and AdWeek.
5055 Wilshire’s previous owner, USAA Real Estate, launched the LEED certification process, working with green building consultant, CTG Energetics. The achievement of LEED Silver certification is the result of an investment in an all-out environmental improvement effort initiated over the past few years.
The property was acquired in July 2008 by the New York-based Somerset Group, a privately held real estate investment, development and management company, which chose Transwestern as its management and leasing partner. The LEED certification process, nearing completion, was an important factor in the Somerset Group’s decision to purchase 5055 Wilshire, which has been an ENERGY STAR® certified building for the past six years.
The LEED for Existing Buildings (EB) Rating System helps building owners and operators measure operations, improvements and maintenance on a consistent scale, with the goal of maximizing operational efficiency while minimizing environmental impacts. The LEED program assigns points for various steps, including efforts in recycling, water and energy efficiency and air quality. According to Thurman, following 5055 Wilshire’s success in earning LEED EB O&M certification, efforts to raise the building’s point score even higher are continuing.
5055 Wilshire Boulevard was built in 1948, and underwent a total renovation in the Art Deco style in 1991. It is a winner of several Office Building of the Year (TOBY) awards from the Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) and recipient of the 2007 Historic Landmark Award from the Windsor Square-Hancock Park Historical.
The Somerset Group
www.thesomersetgroup.com
Transwestern
www.transwestern.net
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