December 12, 2007

Melaver, Inc. Achieves LEED for Birmingham Office Interior
Georgia-based firm Packs Environmentally Friendly Features into 1,500 Square Feet

(Birmingham, Ala.)  The Melaver, Inc. offices at 1819 5th Avenue North, Suite 810, adjacent to the former Federal Reserve Bank in Birmingham, Ala., have been certified as green offices by the U.S. Green Building Council, as part of its LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Commercial Interiors program.  The Birmingham office is the seventh LEED project in the Melaver, Inc. real estate portfolio.   

“To achieve LEED-CI certification in 1,500 square feet was a challenge,” said Colin Coyne, chief operating officer for Savannah-based Melaver, Inc., and Birmingham resident.  “We’re committed to energy efficient, healthy work spaces, and see our office as a demonstration project for what is to come when we develop the former Federal Reserve Bank building for commercial use.”  Melaver, Inc. purchased the former Federal Reserve property in 2006 and plans to develop a multi-use LEED project on the site in 2008.   

Achieving LEED-CI certification means that a third party has examined the Melaver, Inc. office and its operational practices and verified that the owners are adhering to a strict standard established for environmentally friendly commercial interior spaces.  Among the assets of the Melaver space are abundant daylighting, environmentally friendly, low-emitting finishes such bamboo flooring, low VOC paints, sealants and adhesives, Energy Star appliances, and efficient fixtures that reduce water consumption over 30 percent.  An energy efficient copier that defaults to two sided copies and recycling stations help occupants incorporate reuse and recycling into their daily activities.  Site selection was key as well; the offices are located in a high density area and in walking distance to two bus lines.  The project team included contractor Brasfield & Gorrie, Architect KPS Inc. and the construction and development services team at Melaver, Inc.  

About US Green Building Council and LEED

The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System™ is the nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction, and operation of high performance green buildings. LEED gives building owners and operators the tools they need to have an immediate and measurable impact on their buildings’ performance. LEED promotes a whole-building approach to sustainability by recognizing performance in five key areas of human and environmental health: sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection, and indoor environmental quality. LEED provides a roadmap for measuring and documenting success for every building type and phase of a building lifecycle.

About Melaver, Inc.

Melaver, Inc., is a third generation, sustainably-focused real estate firm with holdings throughout the Southeast.  Notable projects include one of the first Silver LEED designations from the US Green Building Council for an historic preservation project in Savannah (The Whitaker Building), as well as the nation’s first all retail LEED Core & Shell project (Abercorn Common Shopping Center) in Savannah that includes the first and only LEED McDonald’s.  Eighty-five percent of Melaver’s staff are LEED accredited professionals, and the company is committed to examining the environmental, financial and social aspects of every project in which it is involved.