SBRI Building Recognized for Water and Energy Saving Systems

SEATTLE-Feb. 9, 2005-The SBRI Building, developed by Vulcan Inc., Harbor Properties and Seattle Biomedical Research Institute (SBRI), has been nationally recognized for its innovative environmental and sustainable features.

Designed as an energy and water-efficient facility, the building recently qualified for a Silver LEED rating from the U.S. Green Building Council. LEED, which stands for “Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design,” is the Council’s rating system used to create a national standard for developing high-performance, sustainable buildings. LEED’s framework focuses on water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection and indoor environmental quality.

Located at 307 Westlake Ave. N., on the central boulevard of Seattle’s growing South Lake Union neighborhood, the 112,000-square-foot development opened in March 2004. The building is a LEED trailblazer, as one of the region's first commercial-sector projects to be evaluated under the Core and Shell LEED pilot program.

“The SBRI building is the first lab building to be certified under the LEED Core & Shell Pilot Program. Certification is an impressive accomplishment and we hope that the SBRI building will serve as an example for future buildings to come,” said Rick Fedrizzi, USGBC President, CEO & Founding Chair.

Examples of the SBRI Building’s sustainable features include:

• The building’s water system was designed to reduce potable water use by 23 percent more than the industry standard, which saves more than 186,000 gallons of water annually.

• An innovative HVAC system was designed to recover lost heat and cool air. This system reduces energy use by 30 percent more than the industry standard.

• As a “green” lab and office building, many building elements have been constructed with recycled materials.

• The use of non-toxic finishes and an air system that uses 100 percent fresh, outside air creates a healthy and safe indoor environment for employees.

• The use of large windows creates more daylight than most offices, eliminating the need for more energy to be used for extra electric lighting, and creating a better working environment.

• By using native and drought-tolerant plants that can rely on rainwater for irrigation, no water is used for outdoor landscaping.

“We are extremely proud to be conducting our research in such an incredible facility that has been designed to make the world a better, healthier place to live,” said Ken Stuart, Ph.D., president and founder of SBRI. “This cutting-edge building is a perfect backdrop for our scientists to make breakthrough discoveries that will improve global health. I am gratified that the efforts to focus on environmental sustainability have resulted in the prestigious Silver LEED rating.”

“The LEED certification of this building is an important advancement of Vulcan’s efforts to create a sustainable, healthy environment in South Lake Union,” said Ada M. Healey, vice president of real estate for Vulcan. “This building’s success also validates the business case for sustainable developments. The operational savings and resource-efficient features translate to additional income that can be used to advance the research and business goals of tenants.”

The project team for the building included CollinsWoerman (architect), Lease Crutcher Lewis (general contractor) and McKinstry Co. (mechanical contractor).

SBRI occupies the top two floors of the five-story building. With nearly 200 researchers and other employees, SBRI is the largest non-profit research institute in the U.S. that conducts research to prevent and treat infectious diseases such as malaria, HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis. Researchers from Children’s Hospital and Regional Medical Center occupy the second and third floors for a number of research programs.

A new science gallery for BioQuest, SBRI’s science education program for high school students, is located on the first floor of the building. Created as a “community living room for life sciences,” the gallery features artistic exhibits to educate visitors and the community at large about the importance of improving global health. The BioQuest science gallery, which is open to the community, serves as a window into the life-saving science SBRI conducts upstairs. The BioQuest Learning Lab, built to accommodate a full high school class doing hands-on research in a safe, authentic setting, adjoins the gallery.

Vulcan Inc., which owns approximately 60 acres in Seattle’s South Lake Union neighborhood, now has 12 development projects totaling approximately three million square feet that are either under development, completed or planned for the near future.

Vulcan’s vision for South Lake Union is to partner with the community to encourage a vibrant, connected neighborhood that blends housing, retail, office, life sciences research, open space, public transportation, culture and education.

About Vulcan Real Estate
Vulcan Real Estate directs all real estate strategies for Vulcan Inc., a Paul G. Allen company. Through strategic acquisitions and innovative development, Vulcan Real Estate creates a diversified portfolio of high-performing, quality assets. The company’s experienced, talented team of real estate professionals offers a full range of development services from site selection to build-to-suit construction. Vulcan’s real estate model is based on quality, sustainable development that builds new value across the entire community. For more information, please visit our Web site at www.vulcanrealestate.com.

About Seattle Biomedical Research Institute
Seattle Biomedical Research Institute advances global health through key research discoveries. Founded in 1976, SBRI is the largest independent, non-profit research institute in the United States focused solely on the world’s most devastating diseases, including malaria, HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis. The mission of SBRI’s nearly 200 employees is to conduct targeted research leading to the prevention, diagnosis and cure of global infectious diseases, responsible for the deaths of 14 million people each year. SBRI’s discoveries have resulted in promising leads for vaccines and drug targets, as well as seminal contributions to scientific knowledge. For more information about SBRI, visit www.sbri.org.

Media Contacts:
Michael Nank, Vulcan Inc., 206-342-2000
Lee Schoentrup, SBRI, 206-256-7440