Smith Consulting Architects Repositions Willow Creek Office Building and Facilities LEED-CS Silver

Nov. 3, 2010 - PRLog -- Smith Consulting Architects, a leading San Diego-based multi-disciplinary architectural firm, has successfully helped achieve LEED-CS Silver Certification from the U.S. Green Building Council of the Willow Creek office building, a 25-year-old, 23,931-square-foot office facility located at 10021 Willow Creek Road in the Scripps Miramar Ranch vicinity of San Diego, Calif.
         Smith Consulting Architects was commissioned by Pacific Office Properties Trust, Inc., a San Diego-based publically traded real estate investment trust, to provide design and LEED consulting for modernizing and creating an energy-efficient and sustainable office building.  The intent is to extend the tenant field and attract new corporate headquarter and General Services Administration users. The resulting redesign of the facility exceeds Title 24 Energy Standards by 26 percent, contributing to the building’s qualification for LEED-CS Silver status.
Construction renovation of the two-story office building began last March, and was completed by June. Amy White, regional vice president for Pacific Office Properties Trust, provided oversight of the $650,000 project. Brigham Black, senior vice president of Leasing for Pacific Office Properties Trust, is handling sales and leasing.
         The redesign of the Willow Creek office building incorporates high-performance technologies that significantly reduce the use of energy, lower water consumption, and enhance indoor air quality for users. Sustainable design features such as efficient lighting fixtures, water-saving plumbing fixtures in restrooms, and low-maintenance landscaping set the building apart from neighboring commercial facilities.
         Pacific Office Properties Trust has established tenant guidelines that summarize future tenant improvement measures utilized to achieve LEED-CS Silver Certification.  These guidelines were created to help tenants comprehend and take full advantage of the high-performance building features, while providing direction on how they can reinforce sustainability and conservation within their own workspaces. Based on the LEED for Commercial Interiors rating system (LEED-CI), the suggestions are meant to help tenants create high-performance, healthy, durable, affordable and environmentally sound commercial interiors that coincide with the building’s sustainable shell redesign.
         Mark Langan, AIA, LEED AP, served as vice president-in-charge for Smith Consulting Architects, with Jaime Ramirez, LEED AP, as project manager, and Erica Roman, LEED AP, as interior designer.
          Chung Song of Prime Structural was the structural engineer; Keith Kruse and Barbara Romero of Kruse & Associates were the electrical engineers; and Doug Isaaks, P.E., Javier Ares and Lynn Holmes of McParlane & Associates were the mechanical / plumbing engineers. Pacific Building Group was the general contractor, with Mike Slaven as project manager.

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About Smith Consulting Architects:
Founded in 1988 by Cheryl (Dennie) Smith, Smith Consulting Architects is a multi-discipline design firm providing full-service planning, architecture and interior design. In addition to corporate headquarters and office facilities, the company has specialized expertise in R&D, life science, complex manufacturing, government and industrial facilities. Smith Consulting Architects is a member of the U.S. Green Building Council, with expertise in sustainable design. The firm is comprised of 21 design and support professionals, with offices located in San Diego and Palm Desert, Calif. More information about the firm can be found on the Web at www.sca-sd.com.