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Alberici Constructors Headquarters Overland, Missouri from the Fall 2006 Building Better Report Building Greener As one of the largest general contracting construction companies in the nation, Alberici Constructors has been building large-scale projects since 1918. (1) Yet, their experience building green began much later, in 2003, when the company decided to build a new headquarters in Overland, Missouri. The goal was to construct an example of the very best in environmental design and construction and receive a platinum-rated Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) building. Alberici was successful and their headquarters is one of only six buildings worldwide to achieve this top rating of environmental excellence. Protecting Water Quality - Zero Runoff While the building has many remarkable energy saving and environmental features, perhaps the most notable is that the building and surrounding property produce zero stormwater runoff. Rainwater from the one-acre roof is captured by a 38,000 gallon, underground cistern. (2) The captured water is then used in the building's urinals and toilets, saving an estimated 300,000 gallons of water annually and saving it from running off the site. (3) According to Thomas Taylor, Alberici Constructors' Vice President of Special Projects, water-saving measures like using recycled water and low-flow faucets result in a 67 percent reduction in water use over a comparable, conventional building. Alberici removed an unneeded 60,000 square foot building from the site and reduced the impermeable surface by removing large surface parking and replacing both the building and the parking lot with landscaping made up exclusively of native plants. Six acres of prairie and wetlands were constructed to filter out pollutants and help keep 100 percent of the water on site as it runs slowly into the vegetation where it is absorbed. A Better Building for People and Nature The platinum-rated LEED building has a number of other environmentally friendly features. A significant portion of the building was constructed using recycled materials. Alberici saved 93 percent of potential construction waste from going to the landfill (4) and approximately 30 percent of the new building materials were recycled. Through the use of energy recovery - which extracts heat from the air without the need to re-circulate stale air - and a number of other features like operable windows, under-floor air distribution, a passive solar preheat system for heating the building's water, and a 65kW refurbished wind turbine, which supplies 20 percent of the energy for the building, (5) the building is "60 percent more energy efficient than a conventional building." (6) The building is designed to take advantage of natural daylight, which minimizes the need for indoor lighting and reduces the stress of employees. Alberici encourages employees to carpool by giving parking preference to carpoolers, and they provide bike racks inside the parking garage protected from the elements. They also provide showers and locker rooms for employees who bike to work. While it is a suburban location, with limited public transportation options, there is a bus stop a short distance from the building. (7) Industry Inspiration Alberici Constructors has used their headquarters to create a real-life example of innovative, cost-effective green building. Through their attention to environmental excellence Alberici is leading the construction industry in green building and stormwater management. Alberici hosts tours of the facility, and encourages others to learn from their work. Footnotes: Alberici was named the 60th largest United States contractor by Engineering News Record. Kerth, Susan. "Alberici Goes Green in New Headquarters," St. Louis Business Journal. July 30, 2004. Ibid. Alberici Constructors' "Green Building" Awarded LEED Platinum Rating for New Headquarters. Ibid. Ibid. Ibid. Up to Top HOME | Email Signup | About Us | Contact Us | Terms of Use | © 2008 Sierra Club