AMLI Residential is a market leader in sustainability whose projects include over 44 LEED and 42 Energy Star certifications and was named 2020’s LEED Outstanding Developer of the year. This spring the NAIOPWA Sustainable Development Committee sat down with Matt Elley of AMLI Residential to get his thoughts on the current market in terms of sustainability and what the future could and should bring for multi-family development.
With state and local energy codes marching unflinchingly towards a zero-carbon future, projects seeking to show deep sustainability commitments by going beyond energy code requirements are faced with fewer compelling design options. This may be especially true for large scale projects or multi-building developments, many of which have unique constraints on space and more limited system options. Efficiency focused electric district energy systems, or low-carbon energy districts, have been seeing more widespread adoption in the Pacific Northwest and can help fill this unique niche.
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| Image courtesy of McKinstry |
Low-carbon energy districts are communities of buildings connected via common energy infrastructure and systems, designed and operated together with a common goal of reducing carbon emissions and utility energy usage. They include many or all of the following attributes:
Honorees showcase the best regional commercial real estate development in 2020 with an emphasis on creative multifamily mixed-use, sustainability and last-mile delivery
SEATTLE – At today’s first-ever virtual NAIOPWA Night of the Stars, the commercial real estate community honored the year’s most innovative, creative and inspiring CRE projects in Washington state. Completed between July 1, 2019, and August 1, 2020, these projects particularly demonstrate the flexibility and strength of the local CRE industry in the face of a global pandemic.
The 2020 winners and finalists reflect major shifts in our region toward affordable, multifamily housing that creatively supports communities, as well as the rapid increase in industrial real estate supporting last-mile delivery. This year, as always, judges used a rubric to evaluate and score projects according to defined criteria and made category adjustments reflecting the unique nature of projects, such as dividing industrial projects into those built on spec and those built to suit. This year, too, the full immersion of sustainable practices in the region’s development projects lead to multiple honorees in different market categories.
NAIOPWA's Night of the Stars identifies outstanding real estate developments and activities in a variety of market types and the individuals who made the projects happen. The awards aim to honor the teams who build our landscape in this annual celebration of the industry. Each finalist project was evaluated for impact on the community, market adaptability, ingenuity and local contributions.
What does it mean to go first? In celebration of NAIOPWA’s Night of the Stars inaugural “Sustainable Development of the Year” category, here is a closer look at the two nominees, each of whom elected to be on the front edge of sustainable real estate development. Read below to learn more about these two industry-leading endeavors.
What is the first thing many developers or investors think when they hear the words “sustainable” or “green” as their architects describe their building design? For decades the common perception has been that it is difficult (if not impossible) to make a deeply green building pencil financially. However, by definition “sustainability” is the nexus of environmental, social and economic progress. We interviewed key participants representing both Watershed and Inspire at the Russell W. Young Building to learn how they overcame perception to create these very special properties.
It pays to go green!
Sustainability is becoming ever more important in the development of and investment in commercial real estate (CRE) due to several factors:
Corporate Interest in Sustainability via the ESG framework
NAIOPWA’s Sustainable Development Committee held its fourth annual Change Makers event on June 27, 2019. The event brings together voices from a diverse group of local change-making organizations making social, environmental, and economic impacts, and establishing Seattle as a leader in sustainable development and beyond. The goal was to pool our collective wisdom, challenge assumptions, reach across boundaries, and explore what's possible when everyone pulls in the same direction.
Ada M. Healey inducted to the NAIOP Washington State Hall of Fame inductee in recognition of her contributions to the built environment of Seattle and the Puget Sound
People’s Choice Award goes to Maritime Building Seismic Upgrade and Renovation
The Seattle Office of Sustainability and Environment released their latest Energy Benchmarking Analysis Report to update energy performance trends based on data reported to the City from 2014 – 2016. The report highlights key building energy and emissions metrics for the 3,300 benchmarked buildings and reveals that continuously benchmarked buildings have reduced emissions, saved money, and improved performance over time.
Highlights include:
