Sustainable and Attainable….. that was one of the first descriptions used for SPIRE.  Attainable referred to the attractive pricing for condo residences in the heart of downtown Denver.  Sustainable referred to the fact that SPIRE was designed and built pursuing the United States Green Building Council’s (USGBC) LEED® criteria.  For a building to qualify for LEED® certification, a certain number of points must be earned in various categories within the scope of sustainable design.   It’s something everyone working on SPIRE felt was important and more importantly,  it’s something our homeowners valued.   With such things as air quality, daylight access, materials, location, and operating efficiency for utilities involved, it’s a pretty important part of a home.  For many of our residents, living in a sustainable building is on the “must have” list when selecting a home.

All of us at SPIRE would like to thank  everyone who contributed to this achievement.  We were  fortunate to have such an incredible team of design, architecture, and construction experts to make this goal a reality.

To learn more about SPIRE or to tour any of our residences, please contact our sales center at 720-457-97550.  Cheers and here is a copy of the official release.

SPIRE ACHIEVES LEED® CERTIFICATION
High-rise provides sustainably designed high-performance condominium homes in Downtown Denver

DENVER (June 23, 2010) – RNL today announced SPIRE’s attainment of the LEED-NC Certified designation, as verified by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC).  Developed by The Nichols Partnership, Inc. and built by JE Dunn Construction Company, SPIRE is a dynamic new urban community showcasing sustainable high-performance homes and a 41-story residential lifestyle overlooking both the Rocky Mountains and Downtown Denver.

Even in times of acute national focus on sustainability only a handful of multifamily projects in the United States have been able to achieve LEED (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design) certification, considered as the platinum standard in green construction and design.  In addition, SPIRE is one of the largest LEED Certified condominium towers in the country, and the only LEED certified condo high rise in Colorado.  RNL served as the LEED administrator for the project, providing tremendous commitment to and investment in designing and building a high-performance building.

Doug Spuler, AIA, LEED AP, RNL, principal and project director for SPIRE congratulated the team, saying, “The Nichols Partnership embraced the LEED registration process and truly understood the benefits of providing a modern, sustainable option for Downtown residents.”

With 496 sustainably-designed condominium homes in an urban location, SPIRE introduces natural daylight, enhanced indoor air quality, energy saving design, potable water use reduction, inclusion of regionally harvested and recycled content materials, innovative transportation solutions and 100% utilization of  electricity from renewable energy sources to make SPIRE not only an amazing addition to the Denver skyline but a unique opportunity to own a high performance home and live a sustainable lifestyle.

LEED metrics are focused on energy savings, water efficiency, CO2 emissions reduction, improved indoor environmental quality and stewardship of resources and sensitivity to their impacts. Some of SPIRE’s sustainable features include:
·         Over 90% of all regularly occupied spaces provide direct line of sight views and access to daylight
·         100% Green Power, renewable energy contract to provide renewable electricity for the building
·         61.4% reduction in potable water consumption from a calculated baseline by using native plants, drip irrigation and moisture sensors
·         26.5% reduction in potable water use due to utilization of reduced-flow lavatory, kitchen sink faucets and shower heads, dual flush toilets, and waterless urinals
·         Improved Indoor Environmental Quality through enhanced air filtration, low-emitting materials for paint, coatings and carpets
·         Commitment to recycling with a dedicated single stream recycling chute located on all occupied floors
·         Transportation options that augment a 97/100 walk score (one of the highest scores in Denver) include 180+ bike racks, motor scooter and motorcycle parking, discounts on Low Emission Vehicle Parking spaces, Connect by Hertz car sharing service located in the ground and adjacency to RTD light rail and the city’s B-Cycle program

“Building a high-performance LEED home at any price point is a challenge and a huge accomplishment.   What is so unique about SPIRE is the fact that we are able to deliver a high-performance LEED certified home at an attainable price point in one of the most compelling locations that Denver has to offer,” states Christopher Crosby, LEED® AP, Executive Vice President, The Nichols Partnership, Inc.  “Our commitment to high-performance LEED design and construction and the successful sales that we have thus far achieved is one of the silver linings of the current housing market… our hope is that pursuit of LEED certification for multi-family projects will be as commonplace as it is for commercial buildings today and that LEED certification will be a key differentiator for the residential marketplace in the future.”

At 470 feet tall, SPIRE’s modernism and subtle art deco influences conclude in a celebratory, articulated crown forming a distinctive and identifiable addition to the Denver skyline.  The building features a 33-story residential tower atop an eight-story parking podium with ground floor retail, culminating in just under a million square feet.

For more information about SPIRE, please visit www.spiredenver.com.