City Officials & Project Team Members Gather for Open House and Plaque Ceremony for St. Louis City's First LEED Platinum Building

 
St. Louis, Mo., October 18, 2007…Representatives of the City of St. Louis, Sen. Maida Coleman, District 5, and project team leaders gathered yesterday for an open house and a plaque presentation for the William Kerr Foundation Building, St. Louis City’s first LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Platinum facility. The Platinum certification is the highest level offered by the United States Green Building Council (USGBC). The building’s owner, John Sweet MD, was presented the plaque for his dedication to the environment and for his contribution to the revitalization of St. Louis City.
 
The event was co-sponsored by three members of the project team: Vertegy, a St. Louis-based sustainability-consulting firm known for its design and consulting services; Trumpet BUILDERS, LLC, a St. Louis-based general contracting firm specializing in green building, and Solutions AEC, a premier provider of integrated MEP (mechanical, electrical and plumbing) design/build services. From 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., city officials, members of the design/build and construction team and other guests were on hand to tour the building and view the numerous aspects of sustainable design that were used throughout the project.
 
Specific features of the building that helped garner the Platinum certification include:
  • Dual flush water closets and no potable water used for irrigation
  • Low-flow showers and lavatories
  • Active solar and wind-generated power that contributes nearly 25% of the building’s annual energy needs
  • The use of recycled and reusable materials wherever possible, including the countertops and floors
  • The incorporation of skylights into the roof for natural light and ventilation
  • The utilization of an air distribution system located under the floor, that provides ventilation and is more efficient for the building
  • A green roof terrace
  • A daylight harvesting system that dims light fixtures when there is adequate natural light contribution
Vertegy, Trumpet and Solutions AEC joined together to create the LEED Platinum certified facility. The William Kerr Family Foundation Building, located at 21 O’Fallon St. in St. Louis, is Vertegy’s second Platinum certified building and Trumpet’s first.
 
“This was a really fun project to work on because it was the creation of a truly integrated delivery team: the owner, designer, contractor and sustainability consultant, all working together from the onset to give this building new life,” notes Thomas Taylor, general manager of Vertegy.
 
The William A. Kerr Family Foundation, managed by co-trustees John Sweet MD and William R. Sweet PE, is an 8-year-old, family-run non-profit that provides charitable funding for various organizations, many of them in the environmental arena. The Foundation purchased the 112-year old former bathhouse, which sits atop a natural spring, because the Sweet brothers saw a lot of potential in how the building could communicate the Foundation’s mission and support the community at the same time. The organization called upon Trumpet, Vertegy and Solutions AEC, who also worked with local architect TMA, to transform the dilapidated 5,200-square-foot building into one of the greenest small buildings in the world.
 
“Through the construction and design process, our team worked closely with Vertegy to incorporate renewable energy sources in every aspect of the project,” notes Paul Henckler, CEO of Trumpet. “Once we realized we had the potential to shoot for Platinum, we pursued every avenue for points, and we’re thrilled that we scored so high.”
 
In addition to serving as the office space for the trustees, the building will also accommodate local bicycle enthusiasts by providing a space for secure storage and a changing area if needed. The owners of the building also encourage other groups to come to the foundation and learn about sustainability. With that in mind, educational signage has been incorporated throughout the space explaining the numerous aspects of sustainable design that were used throughout the project. The William A. Kerr Foundation building is also available for use by other non-profits for fundraisers, conferences or other charitable purposes.
 
In addition to Trumpet, Vertegy, Solutions AEC and TMA, other members of the project team included Acorn Landscapes, Green Roof Blocks and The Energy Savings Store.
 
Solutions AEC is a MEP design/build company, and leader in the MEP aspects of sustainable design and LEED projects.  SAEC provides engineering, construction, energy modeling, commissioning, and LEED documentation of the MEP related systems.  In 2006, SAEC provided their services on 26% of all the St. Louis area LEED registered projects.  Currently SAEC is working on 11 LEED projects, eight of which are in the St. Louis Metropolitan area.  For more information, email info@solutions-aec.com, call 314.966.6299 or visit www.solutions-aec.com. 
 
Trumpet LLC is a General Contracting, civil engineering, environmental consulting and construction company headed by a management team with more than 30 years of combined industry experience.   Trumpet recognizes that building quality and operating cost are two significant factors in owner expectations, and the principals are committed to delivering sustainable projects that also meet those expectations. Examples of other current projects include the Frieze Harley Davidson in O’Fallon, Ill., a 26- home subdivision in north St. Louis and an 8,000 square foot commercial building. Trumpet is based in St. Louis, Mo. For more information, call 636-933-4700 or visit www.trumpetllc.com.
 
Founded in February 2005, Vertegy provides clients with design, procurement and construction consulting services for green and sustainable facilities.  One of the key ways Vertegy serves clients is by helping them gain certification for their projects from various nationally and internationally recognized certification bodies, such as the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), which provides LEED (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design) certification. Vertegy — which is derived from combining the Latin root for green and strategy — is based in St. Louis at the new LEED Platinum Alberici headquarters. For more information, call 314.733.2666 or visit www.vertegyconsultants.com.