At 200,000 square feet, the Exploration Sciences Building is the largest green building on Goddard’s campus in Greenbelt, Md. The building includes space for administrative and research purposes and contains nearly 60 laboratories which are used to study a variety of scientific fields including; microwave, infrared, optical, UV, x-ray, gamma-ray and cosmic ray astronomy and astrophysics. 

In addition, the Solar System Exploration Division performs a variety of research pertaining to the composition, chemistry, and dynamics of planetary atmospheres, planetary and cometary magnetism and magnetospheres, planetary geology and geodynamics, planetary electrical processes, geodetic very-long baseline interferometry,  astrobiology, and studies of the Moon, asteroids, and Earth as a planet.

The NASA project manager, David Larsen, believes that, “The LEED Gold certification for the Exploration Sciences Building is a major accomplishment for the Center. This was achieved through the successful partnership between EwingCole, Manhattan Construction Company, and the Center. Through the life of the project, the project team has worked hard towards building the most sustainable facility ever built at the Center. I am very proud of our accomplishment.”

“Initially, the project was designed with a goal to achieve LEED Silver certification,” said Sean Evans, Manhattan Construction Company LEED Representative. “As the project progressed we identified additional green building opportunities that helped NASA exceed that goal and earn the higher LEED Gold certification.”

“Every green project presents unique challenges,” explained Evans, “During construction a hidden site condition revealed concrete that is not normally recyclable.  It threatened to negate two points for waste management. Manhattan responded by bringing a concrete crusher on-site to turn this landfill concrete debris into RC-6 (RC-6 is recycled crushed concrete). The RC-6 was then used for the parking lot aggregate base.”

The project also earned an additional LEED credit for “Exemplary Performance” in recognition for recycling of construction materials, said Evans.

The NASA Exploration Science Building was designed by EwingCole of Philadelphia. Construction began in June, 2007 and was completed 29 months.

USGBC is the nation’s foremost coalition of leaders from across the building industry working to promote buildings that are environmentally responsible, profitable and healthy places to live and work.

The LEED® Green Building Rating System™ is a voluntary, consensus-based national standard for developing high-performance, sustainable buildings. Members of the U.S. Green Building Council representing all segments of the building industry developed LEED and continue to contribute to its evolution.

NASA Goddard is home to the nation’s largest organization of combined scientists, engineers and technologists that build spacecraft, instruments and new technology to study the Earth, the sun, our solar system, and the universe.

For more information and images of NASA’s Green Building, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/news/topstory/2009/exploration_bldg.html

For information on the LEED Green Building Council, visit:

http://www.usgbc.org/

This building will serve as the City of Houston’s One Stop Permitting Center and will be the permanent location of the City of Houston’s Green Building Resource Center. The Green Building Resource Center will provide a chance for citizens to have their plans reviewed for opportunities to add green strategies to save energy, save water and make their projects more sustainable and efficient.

The project architect is Studio Red Architects.

The LEED® (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Green Building Rating System is the nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction, and operation of high performance green buildings.

“Over the years, the Manhattan Golf Classic has raised approximately $270,000 for MDA and this year’s event has been our most successful yet,” said event chairman and Manhattan project manager, Jason Fuller.

“This cause is close to the heart for the Manhattan family and those who volunteer each year at the tournament. For some it’s the loss of a loved one and for others it’s to support the cause to find a cure,” said Fuller

Duane Duffy, Manhattan executive vice president, came up with the idea to hold the golf classic to support and then honor long time friend who was diagnosed with ALS and ultimately succumbed to the disease.

“I have made a personal commitment to continue this annual event to benefit ALS research and it could not be done without the great Manhattan employees and the MDA volunteers that help with the tournament and along with Houston area owners, design firms, subcontractors and vendors that participate in the tournament.” Duffy stated.  

Kilgore Mechanical, Bell Bottom Foundation Co. and Ideal Finishes Inc. were major contributors to the event.

Event sponsors included:

Topping Out Sponsors included Kilgore Mechanical, Perry & Perry Builders, Baker Concrete Construction, Southeast Fire Protection, Treadwell Electric, Alpha Insulation and Waterproofing, American Door Products, American Tile & Marble, Applied Finish Systems, Astro Fence, Baker Triangle, Berger Ironworks, Diversified Thermal, Fast Track Specialties, Flex-Erect, Graziano Roofing, Haynes Whaley Associates, KenMor Electric, Lucia, Marek Brothers, Miscellaneous Steel Industries, Offenhauser Company, Postel Industries, Standard Mechanical Systems, Symco Painter International, Way Engineering, Wayne Electric,  and Xavier Structures.

Ground Breaking Sponsors included Peiper Houston Electric, Ceco Concrete Construction, Chamberlin Roofing & Waterproofing, Chapman-Smidt, CMC Sterling Steel, Dunham Price, Environmental Interiors, Fireproof Contractors, Inc., Koetter Fire Protection, McDonough Construction Rentals, Peak Roofing, Reytec Construction Resources, Trio electric,

Cart Sponsors included Big City Access, Total Site, and JM Maly. Putting Contest Sponsor included TXI Concrete. Beverage Cart Sponsor included WT Byler.

Hole Sponsors included AVAdek, Browne Penland McGregor Architects, Inc., Builders Drywall, Campbell Concrete, CMC Construction Services/Sheplers, Door Pro Systems, Gensler, Houston Acoustics & Drywall, ieSmartSystems, LLC, M & I Electrical, National Terrazzo, Tile & Marble, Sam’s Safety Equipment, Sigma Marble & Granite, Tobin & Rooney Inc, Wihite Electric, and WW Bartlett, Inc.

A&E- The Graphics Complex donated signage for the event. Southern Star Concrete and Dynamic Systems also supported the event.

MDA is the nonprofit health agency dedicated to curing muscular dystrophy, ALS and related diseases by funding worldwide research. The Association also provides comprehensive health care and support services, advocacy and education.

The $61 million project included the concurrent construction of two buildings with different delivery schedules, linked by an on-grade enclosed pedestrian bridge.  The 93,000 square foot facility to support multiple local, state, and regional government agencies including Department of Public Safety 9-1-1 Center, Office of Emergency Management Emergency Operations Center, VDOT Northern Virginia Smart Traffic Center and Smart Traffic Signal System, and Virginia State Police call-talkers and dispatchers.  The Forensics Center for the Fairfax County Police Department includes a 33,000 square foot, two-story facility for crime scene unit, NOVARIS, electronic surveillance and future DNA/Ballistic Laboratory.

The awards ceremony was held Thursday, November 19, 2009 at the Ritz-Carlton in Tysons Corner, Virginia. Over five hundred and fifty people were in attendance as awards were presented in the following categories: Transactions, Interiors, Buildings, and Memebership

Safety is an integral part of the Manhattan culture and these safety results prove it, said Rejcek. I commend all Manhattan employees for their efforts in making this achievement possible.

“This milestone is especially noteworthy considering the compressed construction schedules and highly complex projects our teams have delivered successfully during this period,” he said. ”Manhattan’s safety success not only makes for a safe work environment but also helps to lower operating costs, which in turn allow us to deliver better value for our clients.”

The company plans to celebrate this milestone at internal meetings during the month of November.

FORT MYERS, FL –  Northern Trust announced today that it is the first private entity in Lee County, Florida, to be awarded the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold designation by the U.S. Green Building Council for its new office building in Fort Myers. The building is recognized for its environmental innovation in design, water efficiency, indoor environmental quality, and its use of sustainable materials and resources.

Northern Trust’s Fort Myers office opened for business on July 13, 2009, and its Gold Certification under the LEED “New Construction” category became official on October 2, 2009.  This category provides a set of performance criteria for certifying the design and construction standards of commercial buildings.

The following includes highlights of the Northern Trust building’s sustainable qualities:

• 84.7 percent reduction in irrigation water consumption
• 44.5 percent reduction in potable water consumption through use of low-flow water closets, urinals, lavatories, showers, and sinks
• 18.6 percent energy cost savings when compared to similar buildings using baseline energy performance modeling
• 25 percent of materials consisted of recycled products
• 32 percent of materials were harvested and manufactured locally (within 500 miles of the project site)
• Building has 100 percent use of low/no-volatile organic compound carpet systems, adhesives, sealants, paints, & coatings in the building
• 77 percent of construction waste was recycled and diverted from landfills
• Strict indoor air quality standards, erosion and sediment control measures were held throughout building construction

Northern Trust Fort Myers president Sandy Robinson said, “Northern Trust is celebrating 30 years in the Southwest Florida market this year. We could not imagine a more ideal demonstration of our commitment to the Lee/Collier community than the opening of a workplace that fits our values and the needs of our world today.”

Kraft Construction provided preconstruction services and coordinated subcontractors and vendors to ensure the building was delivered on time, within budget and in conformity with sustainable best practices and LEED requirements.

“Kraft Construction Company is proud to have been an integral part of the Northern Trust Ft. Myers Office construction project. Kraft has been an active member of the USGBC and a leader in sustainable construction; successfully completing multiple LEED projects throughout the state of Florida for close to a decade,” said Keith Wulber, senior vice president, Kraft Construction Company, Inc. “It is gratifying for Kraft to partner with Northern Trust.  To achieve LEED Gold certification exemplifies the deep commitment of Northern Trust and the team as a whole to environmentally sustainable practices.”

Northern Trust’s Fort Myers building was also recently named as one of the best new green projects in the Southeast region by the editorial advisory board of the Real Estate & Construction Review.

Northern Trust’s commitment to sustainable building is part of the company’s overall focus on Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).  The company recently announced a new Head of CSR, Connie L. Lindsey, who is responsible for advancing Northern Trust’s global leadership on social and environmental issues. In September, the company was recognized by Newsweek in the magazine’s 2009 Green Rankings, citing Northern Trust for its record of owning and operating green buildings, as well as management team support for environmental measures.

LEED is an internationally recognized green building certification system, providing third-party verification that a building or community was designed and built using strategies aimed at improving performance across all the metrics that matter most: energy savings, water efficiency, CO2 emissions reduction, improved indoor environmental quality, and stewardship of resources and sensitivity to their impacts. For more information, see www.usgbc.org.

Representatives from The Drillers and Manhattan joined Mayor Kathy Taylor, ONEOK CEO John Gibson and Tulsa Stadium Trust Chairman Stan Lybarger for a two-part ceremony at Drillers Stadium and ONEOK Field.

“Today is a day to remember the history we’ve shared at Drillers Stadium,” said Drillers President Chuck Lamson. “It’s also a day to look forward to the future at ONEOK Field.”

After the shovels hit the dirt, Lamson, Drillers Head Groundskeeper Gary Shepherd and Drillers mascot Hornsby carried home plate to a waiting helicopter that transported the “dish” to its new home in downtown Tulsa’s historic Greenwood District.

“This is a great day for Tulsa, downtown and the Greenwood District,” said Tulsa Stadium Trust Chairman Stan Lybarger. “We are already beginning to see the positive impact ONEOK Field and downtown development are having on our city, and I am confident the ballpark’s impact will continue to grow as the stadium opens in April.”

The construction of ONEOK Field is proceeding on schedule and is set to open for the first game on April 8.

“Constructing a ballpark is a significant undertaking, and I want to commend our employees and contractors for their efforts that have allowed us to remain on schedule and within budget,” said Manhattan Construction Company Project Executive Bob Jack. “The layout of the entire field, including the positioning of the bases, pitching mound and fence, is designed around the home plate location, so final placement of home plate represents a major milestone in the ballpark construction.” 

Manhattan and its subcontractors recently reached a significant milestone in the construction of ONEOK Field, having completed more than 150,000 work hours without a lost-time incident.

“This is reflective of the value that Manhattan places on safety and wellness throughout the company,” said Jack. “We are very proud of this accomplishment and continue striving to maintain a safe workplace for everyone.”

• Infrastructure/Heavy-Emergency Restoration for work on state highway 20 and Keetonville Hill
• Infrastructure/Heavy Over $10 million for construction of I-540/Perry Road Interchange

Companies affiliated with Manhattan Road & Bridge also received bronze eagles. Manhattan Construction Co. took home five and Cantera Concrete Co. took home two. All are subsidiaries of Manhattan Construction Group.

In all, Manhattan Construction Group companies won nine awards which are now eligible to move on to ABC’s national competition. Winners at that level will be announced in February at the association’s annual convention in San Diego.

• Commercial Over $100 million Mega-Project for Downstream Casino Resort, Quapaw, Okla.
• Health Care $5-15 million for Saint Francis Neonatal Intensive Care Unit 5th Floor Children’s Hospital, Tulsa, Okla.
• Other General Construction for Bizzell Memorial Library Fire Suppression Phase II, Norman, Okla.
• Health Care Under $2 million for Saint Francis Hospital, Tulsa, Okla.
• Institutional $1-2 million for Holy Family Cathedral Renovation, Tulsa, Okla.

“Manhattan is proud to be a part of the ABC awards and proud of the five projects we were awarded,” said Manhattan project executive Steve Ludwig. “We are especially proud of the Downstream Casino and Hotel. This $150 million project had the casino portion complete in under 11 months from start to finish and then completed the 222-bed hotel four months later.”

Two other companies affiliated with Manhattan were also honored with Excellence In Construction Awards.

Manhattan Road & Bridge Co. received top honors for:

• Infrastructure/Heavy-Emergency Restoration for work on state highway 20 and Keetonville Hill, Okla.
• Infrastructure/Heavy Over $10 million for construction of I-540/Perry Road Interchange, Okla.

Cantera Concrete Co. received honors for:

• Other specialty Construction – Cast-in-Place Concrete for Muskogee Community Hospital, Muskogee, Okla.
• Other specialty Construction – Precast Concrete $2-5 Million for Great Plains Prison, Hinton, Okla.

In all, Manhattan Construction Group companies won nine awards which are now eligible to move on to ABC’s national competition. Winners at that level will be announced in February at the association’s annual convention in San Diego.