National Grid’s New England Corporate Office at Reservoir Woods Earns Prestigious Platinum LEED Certification from the U.S. Green Building Council

• Platinum LEED is Universally Recognized as the Highest Standard for Sustainable Design and Construction
• Building is One of Only Two Single-Tenant Facilities in the World to Earn LEED Platinum Certification for Both Core and Shell Construction and Commercial Interiors

WALTHAM, Mass.--(EON: Enhanced Online News)--National Grid and Davis Marcus Partners announced that National Grid’s new corporate center at Reservoir Woods in Waltham, Mass. has earned Platinum-level LEED® certification from the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) for its state-of-the-art “green” design, construction and amenities. The building is one of only two single-tenant buildings in the world to earn LEED Platinum designation for both core and shell construction and for its commercial interior. It is the first certified LEED Platinum core and shell building in Massachusetts, and one of just a handful in the state to earn Platinum-level LEED commercial interior certification.

“The work of innovative building projects such as National Grid’s building at Reservoir Woods is a fundamental driving force in the green building movement.”

"We are delighted to have earned this prestigious distinction," said Tom King, president of National Grid in the U.S. "Our state-of-the art green workspace reflects our passion and commitment to developing innovative energy conservation and efficiency initiatives. We hope this building will inspire others to join us in responding to one of the most important challenges of our time -- environmental sustainability and mitigating the effects of global climate change."

King concluded, "Davis Marcus Partners and other members of the team served as enthusiastic partners in this important achievement. We commend their dedication and talent in helping to make this building an environmental role model.”

The new building was designed and built in partnership with energy efficiency experts from National Grid; Reservoir Woods developer Davis Marcus Partners; construction manager John Moriarty & Associates; mechanical engineers and core and shell LEED consultants AHA Consulting Engineers, Inc.; base building architect ADD, Inc.; tenant project manager Jones Lang LaSalle; interior architect and interior LEED consultants Sasaki Associates and the property owner, Reservoir Woods East, a partnership between affiliates of Davis Marcus Partners and Prudential Real Estate Investors (PREI®).

“We are thrilled with the designations from the USGBC and applaud the teamwork that it took to get to this point,” said Paul Marcus, CEO of Marcus Partners. “We know that even in these challenging economic times, the extra effort to design and build to this standard is still extremely important and the right thing to do. We are very lucky to have such a committed financial partner in PREI and an outstanding tenant in National Grid. Both firmly believe, like us, in the importance of an energy-efficient future and consider environmental responsibility a cornerstone of their respective business models.”

Platinum certification recognizes the highest level of green building achievement under the USGBC’s benchmark Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED), an independent green building rating system.

LEED core and shell is a green building rating system for designers, builders, developers and new building owners who want to address sustainable design for new core and shell construction. Core and shell covers base building elements such as structure, envelope and the HVAC system. LEED commercial interior is the recognized system for certifying high-performance green interiors that are healthy, productive places to work; are less costly to operate and maintain; and have a reduced environmental footprint.

Reservoir Woods’ energy and water-saving features include:

• Lighting that uses 40 percent less electricity than a typical commercial building in Mass. with occupancy sensors, task oriented lighting and daylight sensors at workstations that save more than 800,000 kilowatt hours annually – enough to power 133 homes for one year

• High-efficiency heating and cooling systems with adaptable controls to sense outdoor and indoor temperatures
• Water conservation measures including dual-flush toilets, automatic sensor faucets and a rainwater recycling system that together are expected to reduce consumption by about 2.4 million gallons per year
• Approximately 20,000 sq. ft. of roof-top solar panels that generate enough electricity to power about 30 homes each year and offset 400,000 lbs. of CO₂ annually
• Exterior shading devices on southern-facing exposures and a highly reflective white roof that help keep the building cool
• Superior air quality systems featuring carbon dioxide sensors installed in ventilation ducts
• Sustainable materials: 28% of the materials and furnishings are recycled; 68.5% of the wood is sourced from sustainably managed forests; café floors made of rapidly renewable bamboo; carpet tiles consisting of 42% pre-consumer recycled materials; workstation fabrics made of 100% recycled content; locally manufactured recycled aluminum ceiling tiles; low-VOC adhesives, sealants, paints and coatings throughout the building
• More than 93% of construction waste was recycled

To further reduce the carbon footprint of both the building and its employees, National Grid has adopted green practices such as car pooling and a shuttle bus service linked to public transportation.

Construction of National Grid’s 312,000 sq. ft. three-story building was completed in May 2009. More than 1,500 employees now work at the facility, which is the hub of National Grid’s New England corporate and administrative operations.

“The green building movement offers an unprecedented opportunity to respond to the most important challenges of our time, including global climate change, dependence on non-sustainable and expensive sources of energy and threats to human health,” said Rick Fedrizzi, President, CEO & Founding Chair, U.S. Green Building Council. “The work of innovative building projects such as National Grid’s building at Reservoir Woods is a fundamental driving force in the green building movement.”

Reservoir Woods is owned by a venture between affiliates of Davis Marcus Partners and PREI on behalf of institutional investors.

About Davis Marcus Partners

Davis Marcus Partners is a venture between The Davis Companies and Marcus Partners. Affiliates of Davis Marcus Partners own and operate a portfolio in excess of four million square feet valued at more than $1.0 billion dollars. For more information visit: www.davismarcus.com.

About National Grid

National Grid is an international energy delivery company. In the U.S., National Grid delivers electricity to approximately 3.3 million customers in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York and Rhode Island, and manages the electricity network on Long Island under an agreement with the Long Island Power Authority (LIPA). It is the largest distributor of natural gas in the northeastern U.S., serving approximately 3.4 million customers in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York and Rhode Island. National Grid also owns over 4,000 megawatts of contracted electricity generation that provides power to over one million LIPA customers.