Hines, the international real estate firm, announced today that 2211 Michelson is the first building in California and on the West Coast to be certified for Silver status in the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Core & Shell (LEED-CS) development program, which is sponsored by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), the nation's leading advocate of sustainable design.
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The 12-story, 24,685 m² office tower is strategically located in the heart of the Irvine Business Complex, two blocks east of John Wayne Airport.
Hines West Region Partner Doug Holte said, "Hines has a global commitment to sustainable design and development, and our team is excited to incorporate this commitment into our flagship Orange County project. 2211 Michelson is an excellent example of a sustainable, high-performance, energy-efficient building that operates at a lower cost with less environmental impact over time, benefiting tenants, owners and the greater community. In a time of increased global awareness of sustainable design practices, the 'green' message increasingly resonates with tenants and brokers in Orange County."
Standout green design features qualifying the building for its Silver LEED-CS certification include: innovative wastewater and water conservation technologies; reduction in the use of electricity through highly efficient lighting and HVAC systems; low-emitting materials; 60 percent more glass than conventional office buildings providing maximum daylight within interior spaces; extensive gardens with 50 new trees; and landscaped outdoor workspaces.
Designed by architect Paul Danna, a principal of DMJM Design, the building is sheathed in architectural white metal panels and high-performance silver vision glass. Notably, the property features four penthouse corner balconies and extensive decorative building-top night lighting. From the interior, rectangular floorplates provide efficient workspace layout, column-free interior space, and the most technologically advanced exterior glass on the market today. Each floor provides opportunities for eight corner offices (four of which are column free) due to the corner insets in the structure.
The development is anchored by Wachovia Bank and is now 55 percent leased to an array of national and international tenants. Its first dozen tenants include financial, investment, real estate, law and technology firms including recently signed deals with Fidelity Investments and the law firm Rus, Miliband & Smith.
Source: Hines
