35 West Wacker has received the prestigious U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED for Existing Buildings: Operations & Maintenance v2009 Platinum Certification in October 2019. Main project highlights include the following:
- Achieving exemplary performance for reducing conventional commuting trips by 86%. Due to its location downtown and proximity to mass transit, the building was able to demonstrate a substantial reduction in commuting trips.
- Restoring an off-site area. Ownership signed an agreement with a land conservation organization to restore a one acre off-site area to its original Blackland Prairie ecosystem. The restoration will include removing existing Bermuda grass, which does not support wildlife, with plants native to the Blackland Prairie.
- Achieving a 20% reduction in indoor plumbing water use compared to standard fixtures. A large scale plumbing retrofit was completed before the start of the performance period. Upgrades included retrofitting all 3.5 gallons per flush (GPF) water closets with 2.4 GPF diaphragms, retrofitting 1.0 GPF urinals with 0.5 GPF diaphragms, and installing flow reducing aerators on lavatory and kitchen faucets. As a result of the upgrades, over 2.5 million gallons will be saved annually.
- Earning EPA's ENERGY STAR Certification. 35 West Wacker is currently ENERGY STAR certified.