BENTLEYFORBES EARNS LEED GOLD FOR PRUDENTIAL PLAZA
Certification of Iconic Chicago Class A Office Towers Reflects Extensive Investment in Sustainability, Building Operations, Energy Efficiency, Recycling and Tenant Services
CHICAGO (July 12, 2010) — BentleyForbes, a national real estate investment company, has earned LEED® Gold-Existing Buildings (EB) certification from the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) for Prudential Plaza, the iconic Class A office towers that overlook Chicago’s Millennium Park and East Loop commercial district.
“BentleyForbes is committed to providing its tenants at Prudential Plaza with the best possible Class A office environment for their professional operations,” said C. Frederick Wehba II, president and CEO of BentleyForbes. “In today’s social and economic climate, sustainability and resource conservation play an integral role in charting how businesses choose to operate. Knowing that Prudential Plaza has earned LEED Gold will provide our tenants with an opportunity to honor that commitment through our investment at the place they work each day.”
BentleyForbes is also in the process securing LEED Gold-EB certification for other properties within its national portfolio, including such trophy Class A office properties as Bank Of America Plaza in Atlanta, The Watergate in Washington, D.C. and Park Center in Dallas.
The USGBC’s LEED for Existing Buildings Rating System helps building owners and operators measure operations, improvements and maintenance on a consistent scale, with the goal of maximizing operational efficiency while minimizing environmental impacts. LEED for Existing Buildings addresses whole-building cleaning and maintenance issues (including chemical use), recycling programs, exterior maintenance programs, and systems upgrades.
“The management team at Prudential Plaza worked extensively during the past two years to achieve LEED certification, and the fact our team was able to achieve Gold is a testament to those efforts,” said Bryan Oyster, Vice President and General Manager for BentleyForbes at Prudential Plaza. “These improvements provide a true value to our tenants, reducing operating costs through efficiencies, and creating a more sustainable environment for our community.”
During the comprehensive improvement program leading to LEED certification at Prudential Plaza, BentleyForbes partnered with the Delta Institute, a Chicago-based non-profit organization focused on supporting sustainable operating practices in the Great Lakes region. Highlights of the Prudential Plaza LEED-Gold certification program include:
- PruCycle – Development of an internal building recycling program on building’s website, where tenants can post the availability unwanted items or browse for items they may need, in an effort to promote re-use versus recycling.
- Recycling Program – BentleyForbes has implemented a building-wide recycling program and installed centrally located battery and plastic bag recycling containers for tenant use.
- Green Office Supplies Purchasing Consortium – BentleyForbes negotiated a strategic, property wide purchasing agreement with Office Depot that allows Prudential Plaza tenants to purchase green products at lower prices.
- Energy Star – Since starting the LEED certification process, utilities consumption has been reduced by 30% resulting in $1 million in annual savings in utility costs for the property. During the LEED Commissioning process, a faulty electric meter was identified that resulted in a $600,000 utility refund to the property.
- Summer Farmers Market – BentleyForbes hosts a seasonal farmers market at Prudential Plaza to promote sustainability and access to locally grown produce and artisan crafts.
About Prudential Plaza:
Prudential Plaza is a LEED-Gold certified, Energy Star rated, landmark address occupying a full city block overlooking North Michigan Avenue at its intersection with East Randolph Street. Occupying the center point between Illinois Center, the Loop Business District and Grant Park, the Prudential Plaza complex features approximately 2.2 million square feet of Class A office space in two distinctive towers, of 41- and 64-stories.
Notably, the property features spectacular and unobstructed views of Lake Michigan, Michigan Avenue and Grant Park, the city skyline, the Chicago River and overlooks the “Bean” and the Frank Gehry designed Pritzker Pavilion in the internationally lauded Millennium Park. Prudential Plaza also boasts a dramatic plaza entry on Randolph Street and more than 90,000 square feet of retail space featuring restaurants and services easily accessible to building tenants and steps away from Millennium Park.
About BentleyForbes:
BentleyForbes is a national real estate investment firm founded in 1993. The Company is focused on the acquisition, ownership and management of commercial real estate in the office, industrial, mixed use, retail and hospitality sectors. Typical investments for the Company range from $10 million to $500 million and beyond, emphasizing Class A commercial properties in top CBD or regional submarket locations. Furthermore, the Company is recognized for its expertise in the acquisition and management of single tenant and/or sale-leaseback property investments, and continues to invest in assets of this type on a wide basis. From its Los Angeles headquarters, BentleyForbes employs a roster of real estate and corporate finance experts well versed in commercial real estate investment, finance, law, accounting and asset management. The Company also has regional offices in Atlanta, Chicago and Washington D.C. For more information on the Company, its portfolio of properties and officers, please visit www.bentleyforbes.com.
< Back