Simpson Development Inc. Goes Green with the First High Performance Office Space in Alexandria

The Benefits:

 

Whole Space Approach – to create an environment of comfort, control, affordability safety, and sustainability.

 

Passive Solar - A large percentage of the building faces due south without any obstructions allowing the sun to naturally warm the space throughout the day. Polished slab concrete floors capture that heat all day and return it to the building in a couple of ways. 

 

Increased Levels of Insulation & Weatherization – To the recommended standards of Energy Star for commercial buildings. R40 roof deck and R23 exterior walls. The closed-cell foam used throughout to provide complete weatherization as well of all penetrations of the space. Floor loads for mechanical systems were reduced from 40 to
28 tons of heating and cooling. 

 

New Operable Energy Star Windows – Increased insulated window system that not only increases the R-value of the opening but the window install to an Energy Star standard eliminated airflow around the window as well. 

 

New Top-of-the-line Technology – Advanced HVAC, Fresh Air, LED lighting, Automated Controls, Energy Monitoring

 

Advanced HVAC - Dakin VRF which is described as the Cadillac of all heating and cooling systems – Zone control  - Low Cost of Operation – Reduced Carbon Footprint – Fully controlled from your laptop or phone.

 

Dedicated Fresh Air - Meeting the new code standards for fresh air in commercial spaces. Fully automated and controllable 

 

Improved Indoor Air Quality – Dedicated fresh air to the entire space. New 6 ton AAON “Do-as” unit providing conditioned fresh air, reduced carbon footprint, and the first level of safety against COVID 10.

 

Increased Worker Satisfaction and Productivity – Green space provides enhanced brand or public image of the company they work for. Added customer attraction and retention to a company’s progressive image. Increase sales from the draw of being “Green” and as a method of attracting “Green” clients. These are some of the reasons why the space at 333 N Fairfax St is already 50% occupied. 

 

Economics – High-Performance Green buildings have many financial benefits. They range from substantially lower utility costs, increased rental rates, increased building values, and higher occupancy levels. 

 

Operating expenses originally for the space have been fairly constant with yearly documentation of $2/SF. This 1970 era building was a combination of all-electric forced air and baseboard heat. In its history, the property owner has always paid all utilities and prided themselves with keeping the building comfortable for its tenants.

 

In a move toward the future, the ownership of the building has taken a voluntary step to becoming Green. With hopes of retaining its existing tenants and by attracting new companies to the facility that are seeking to label themselves progressive by locating in a building that focuses on its health and welfare of its occupants, reduces its carbon
footprint, and help drive jobs in a climate change economy.

 

Green Tenant – Attraction to 333 N Fairfax Street was a natural for a growing Architectural firm that understood the potential of Green for its own business. Many of the customers that they sought had already gone Green and to secure opportunities with them, their own company needed to be environmentally conscious. In a time of commercial tenancy retraction, this established business relocated to what has been described as the “Most energy-efficient, sustainable, SMARTEST, and Safest Office Space in Alexandria.” “We hope that a Greenspace will attract Green clients” stated the
owner of Giuliani Associates. 

 

Proven Success – As part of the building's energy upgrade by Simpson Development a full energy management system has been included in the top floor of the facility. Already with all systems being monitored, the previously documented utility cost of $2/SF has been reduced to .33/SF. The space includes LED lighting, upgraded insulation and weatherization, dedicated fresh air, sub-metered electrical service, water-saving bathroom fixtures, passive solar, and the most energy-efficient HVAC in the market today. With this offered Green package the newly renovated 14,000 sf is already 50% occupied at a rent higher than any others in the building.

 

Increased rental rates, long term tenant. Dramatically reduced energy costs, all mechanical systems monitored and controllable, and a carbon-footprint that has set the ownership of the building well on its way into the future with High-Performance Green rental space.