Group 70 Gets First
LEED Platinum Interior

Group 70 International recently received the platinum level in Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) commercial interiors (CI) certification for its renovation of the second floor of the 102-year-old McCandless Building in Chinatown. It is the first LEED platinum CI project in Hawaii.

The renovation of the 5,700-square-foot space took approximately seven months, completed at a cost of $84 per square foot. By comparison, traditional interior renovations can cost about $200 per square foot. Environmentally conscious design, careful planning and material selection were just a few of the aspects that factored into achieving platinum certification.

Group 70 was able to reuse 60 percent of existing materials, including portions of the walls, exterior windows, flooring, lights and the air-conditioning system. The firm reduced electrical and water usage by retrofitting fixtures and replacing 90 percent of the office equipment with Energy Star versions. Products made from recycled or rapidly renewable materials — such as recycled content carpet, carpet tiles and office chairs — and materials made from reeds and bamboo also were used.

“Group 70 International’s second floor office LEED certification demonstrates tremendous green building leadership,” says Rick Fedrizzi, president, CEO and founding chair of the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), which oversees LEED. “The urgency of USGBC’s mission has challenged the industry to move faster and reach further than ever before, and Group 70 serves as a prime example with just how much we can accomplish.”

The second floor space opened in January as Group 70’s sustainable design center, a comprehensive resource center and showroom, providing clients and select community groups with direct access to sustainable technologies, a multitude of environmental products that are now available and the expertise of the firm’s 33 LEED-accredited professionals.

“Group 70’s second floor renovation demonstrates that you can achieve LEED platinum certification in a historic building space at an affordable price,” says Charles Kaneshiro, AIA, principal at Group 70. “As a leader in sustainable development, it is important for Group 70 to practice what we preach. … By achieving LEED-platinum certification for our second floor, we are demonstrating that the highest standard is possible, all at a competitive price. This counters a common misconception that it costs more to do a renovation using sustainable and green concepts.”