Cathy Proctor, Denver Business
Denver’s FBI office has been certified as an Energy Star building by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency due to efforts to cut the building’s energy use during 2012, according to Newmark Grubb Knight Frank (NGKF), the building’s management firm.
The 220,000-square-foot, Class A building at 8000 E. 36th Ave. cut energy use by 16.3 percent, preventing 454 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions in 2012 — equal to the energy use of 68 homes, NGKF said Wednesday.
Energy use was cut on several fronts, including programming changes to the building’s lighting and automation systems, installing high-efficiency air filters and closely monitoring water usage, according to NGKF.
The changes saved nearly $75,000 via reduced utility bills.
The building’s reduction in energy use placed it at No. 2 in the state for office buildings in the EPA’s “Energy Star National Building Competition.”
NGKF began managing the FBI building in 2010, while it was still under construction, on behalf of building owner and developer Alex S. Palmer & Company.
Improvements to the building’s overall utility consumption began after the initial warranty period was completed in August 2011.
The property management and engineering teams determined what upgrades would cut the most energy, without sacrificing the comfort or security of the people who worked in the building, NGKF said.
