 330 North Wabash |
330 North Wabash, a 1.5 million square foot mixed-use building in the heart of Chicago, has impressive credentials. The structure was designed by famed architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe and is his last North American building. It has just been listed on the national register for historic landmarks. It is ENERGY STAR labeled and LEED Silver certified. It recycles 96 percent of its office paper waste. It is also the first building in Chicago to earn the BOMA 360 Performance designation.
“The first time that I saw an email from BOMA about the program, I knew that it was something that I wanted to achieve,” says Susan Hammer, RPA, LEED AP, general manager, Prime Group Realty Trust. “Not only is it specific to the industry but is also conferred by the industry. That motivated me to get the designation.”
Hammer explains that the comprehensive nature of the designation was one of the main reasons she applied. “When I started looking at the criteria and the supporting information, there were a lot of synergies between the various components. In buildings, the environmental/sustainability aspect goes hand in hand with tenant relations, which goes hand in hand with the green purchasing component. The program brings all of those pieces into a cohesive whole and acknowledges that they are inter-related. I think that is very important.”
As an example, Hammer cited her building’s recycling success. The team at 330 North Wabash recycle more than 96 percent of all of our office paper waste, 98 percent of our newspapers, and 95 percent of our cardboard waste, totaling about 300 pounds of recycled material per person per year. She credits that achievement to 100 percent tenant participation.
Another best practice: green purchasing. Explains Hammer: “We were one of the first properties in Chicago to purchase paper towels and toilet paper manufactured from a mill that is only 160 miles away in Wisconsin, which uses the recycled paper taken from our property. Our recycling contractor picks up the paper, takes it to the mill and then we buy it back for our toilet paper. That demonstrates our commitment to sustainability and closes the recycling loop and shows our tenants the results of their recycling efforts.”
Hammer believes that the application process is a great way to benchmark a building for all-around excellence. “The BOMA 360 program brings all the pieces together in a comprehensive, detailed composite of all facets of property management. When you are done, you essentially have a training manual of best practices,” she remarks. “Even for buildings that aren’t quite there yet, the benchmarking potential of the program shows where there are deficiencies. From there you can say I really need to do X, Y and Z in order to get this designation and achieve excellence in my building.”
The designation also serves as a marketing tool for tenants and gives reassurance to owners. “For a property manager, it’s a great way to see everything that you actually do all in one place. By doing that, we’re able to market our management skills to prospective tenants and to existing tenants, as well. I think it also makes the case to the owners of the building because it really helps show the marketplace that you’re doing a great job. It also shows owners that the stewardship of their asset is appropriate and is being conducted in the highest possible way.”
Learn more about the BOMA 360 Performance Program.