'Green' Building Opens in King of Prussia

PHILADELPHIA-A four-story, 104,000-sf, class-A office building, constructed at 935 First Ave. on the 14-acre First Avenue Corporate Center in King of Prussia, PA, has obtained “green” building status with the US Green Building Council. Completed this month by Plymouth Meeting, PA-based Brandywine Realty Trust, the building was constructed of recycled, recyclable and/or renewable materials, deemed “environmentally safe,” according to the developer.

Construction began in 2000 with the demolition of an existing 118,000-sf building. Concrete from the demolition was crushed for the new building pad and parking lots. The new structure is of 90% recycled steel.

Criteria for building finishes, including wall coverings, wood, fabrics, paint, carpeting and glues, were based on their recycled, recyclable or renewable characteristics. Glass is tinted to filter infrared light in order to reduce air conditioning requirements.

Air conditioners monitor for carbon dioxide levels and are said to filter about 65% of dirt particulates in comparison with 35% from traditional air conditioning systems. Conservation objectives guided the selection of plumbing fixtures, lighting, insulation and landscaping.

Construction costs are undisclosed. Extrapolations from Brandywine’s third-quarter 2002 earnings report, however, suggest a cost of approximately $196 per sf, or about $20.4 million.

Brandywine plans a sister building for 955 First Ave. The corporate center is at the Valley Forge exit of the Pennsylvania Turnpike.