Apr 10 2015
VHA Inc., which recently combined with UHC to form the largest member-owned health care company in the country, announced it has been awarded LEED Silver Certification for Commercial Interiors from the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) for the company’s headquarters, which includes Novation and Provista, at 250/290 E. John Carpenter Freeway in Irving, Texas. VHA’s campus is the largest of the four LEED Interior Design and Construction projects to have been certified in Irving.
“VHA is extremely proud of this designation. In approaching this project we wanted to demonstrate to our community, employees and members the importance we place on social responsibility and sustainability practices that help ensure a healthy environment,” said Colleen Risk, executive vice president member networks and human resources for VHA. “Credit for this achievement must also go to our architectural design firm Staffelbach who created this aesthetically striking, energy efficient and environmentally responsible office space.”
Prior to VHA’s renovation, the complex was one of the largest vacant office complexes in suburban Dallas, consisting of three interconnected buildings. The first three-story building was completed in 1977 with the two seven-story buildings completed in 1982. The buildings had been largely empty since 2006 until VHA began its renovation project in 2012. The complex is roughly 540,000 square feet, and VHA and its subsidiary companies occupy more than half of the total space.
“This type of project demonstrates the commitment VHA has to its employees, the local community and to conserving our natural resources. They started with an existing facility with access to mass transit that sat vacant for several years. During the renovation project they recycled materials to divert waste from the landfill, improved the building’s existing systems and selected ‘green’ building materials for sustainability and a healthier environment for workers,” said Jonathan P. Kraatz, executive director for USGBC North Texas.
VHA’s headquarters achieved Silver Certification LEED Commercial Interiors through:
- Innovation in design using environmentally friendly materials such as low-emitting finish materials including paints/coatings, adhesives/sealants, flooring systems, composite wood and agri-fiber products and furniture
- 82 percent of the equipment and appliances are ENERGY STAR rated to lower energy costs
- 30 percent water use reduction through high efficiency plumbing fixtures in restrooms, coffee galleys, and employee break rooms
- 57 percent energy use reduction through high efficiency light fixtures and lamps in all general office areas with supplemental use of lighting controls and occupancy sensors
- Construction waste management that diverted 75 percent of the on-site construction waste from landfills and 24 percent of the total building’s contents was fabricated with recycled material
The LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Green Building Rating System is the internationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction and operation of high performance green buildings, which was developed by the USGBC. LEED promotes a whole-building approach to sustainability by recognizing performance in five key areas of human environmental health: sustainable site development, water efficiency, energy efficiency, materials selection and indoor environmental quality.
For more information about VHA Inc. visit www.vha.com.