FEATURE ARTICLE, NOVEMBER 2007

INDUSTRIAL SPACE GOES GREEN
Industrial developer DP Partners creates green initiative program.
Stephanie Mayhew

This year, DP Partners, a nationwide industrial developer based in Reno, Nevada, launched a forward thinking green building initiative called the 4 Green Program. Stephen G. Bailey, RLA, partner-eastern region for DP Partners, says, “DP felt it was important as a company to establish a program like this so we would have our own internal guidelines and more or less a road map for energy conservation and increased productivity.”

DP’s new program focuses on four main goals: design green, build green, work green and save green.

• Design Green - Promotes the use of environmentally friendly materials as well as energy efficient systems in new construction and in those being retrofitted.

• Build Green - Employs green design criteria and promotes recycling during the construction of facilities in order to reduce construction waste.

• Work Green - Creates a more work friendly environment to increase employee productivity.

• Save Green - Reduces operational costs for DP Partner’s clients through prudent selection building materials and systems.

“Part of the LEED program addresses using recycled carpet and low VOC paint as well as other finished materials that are not typically indoor specs for warehouse developments,” says Bailey. “So, we came up with a laundry list of ways to attack the problems specific to industrial.” For example, the concrete that is being used for construction is often produced onsite in a batch plant using onsite non-potable water, which conserves drinking water in the area, and the onsite batch plant helps conserve fuel and limit pollution by minimizing the amount of trucks that come in and out of the property during construction. Bailey notes that the steel used in all of DP’s buildings has a very high recycle content, and DP will also use recycled asphalt content for paving and low VOC paints are used in the interiors.

In order to meet the aforementioned goals, DP will apply the following specifics for all qualifying construction projects: conscientious site design, water efficiency, energy efficiency, indoor environmental quality and material and resources.

• Conscientious Site Design - Preserves and enhances the natural features of the land, reduces the impact on developable land, prevents harmful effects on adjoining properties and supports energy conservation.

• Water Efficiency - Utilizes plumbing fixtures and special landscape design to reduce and conserve water.

• Energy Efficiency - Employs energy-modeling simulations and cost efficient ways to improve energy efficiency.

• Materials and Resources – Uses recycled materials in construction and construction waste will be recycled. In addition, local construction materials and sources will be used in order to reduce transportation costs and energy.

• Indoor Environmental Quality – Employs temperature-control systems, natural lighting and improved indoor air quality to enhance employee well being and productivity.

DP Partners is currently applying the 4 Green Program in the construction of several buildings throughout the United States. “The 4 Green program is being done in response to what we perceive our customers need and the types of things that our tenants are asking for,” says Bailey. “So, the response has been tremendous, particularly from the communities where we are building these projects.”

In the Northeast, DP is applying the green program in the construction of Building K in the LogistiCenter at Logan in Logan Township, New Jersey. Situated on a 25-acre site at 2100 Center Square Road, the 365,760-square-foot, cross-decked distribution center will contain several green aspects once complete in second quarter 2008. According to Bailey, Building K has a white walls and clear-story windows to provide more natural light in the building, which will not only conserve energy, but it will also create a more worker friendly environment. The building will have specific measures for storm water quality and infiltration, and an increased insulation program for both the ceilings and walls, as well as a white roof, which will all help cut down on heating and cooling costs. Building K will also feature one of DP’s most significant green initiatives to date: energy efficient fluorescent fixtures throughout the building.

In addition, recycled and native materials, which are produced on or near the site are being used in the construction of Building K. “Green programs such as this are certain to become the norm because many developers are doing this in response to client needs and as a way to maintain a bit of a competitive edge, but mainly, we are responding to what our tenants want to see,” says Bailey.

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