Green initiatives by Liberty Tower developers and its tenant Chambliss law firm have earned the Gold for Leadership in Environmental and Energy Design.Chambliss’ green initiative
* 79 percent of Chambliss’ office equipment is Energy Star rated * 50 percent of construction waste was diverted from area landfills and either reused, repurposed or recycled * Low VOC paints, wallpaper adhesives and carpet tiles reduce pollutants in the workspace * Open office layout optimizes “daylighting” in conference rooms and workspaces, reducing the need for interior lighting * Electricity to each office floor is metered separately, allowing Chambliss to better monitor and control its energy consumption based on monthly invoices
Steve Hunt talks about LEED features of Liberty Tower, including the modern chillers, above, air-handlers, cooling towers and motors with variable speed drives that assure the building is energy efficient.Liberty Tower highlights
* New light fixtures contain LED technology or electronic ballasts with T-8 or T-5 lamps, reducing energy consumption by 50-80 percent * Low-flow toilets and faucets reduce water use by at least 30 percent * Modern chillers, air-handlers, cooling towers and motors with variable speed drives are energy efficient and sustainable * Steel studs for walls and partitions are made of 100 percent recycled content * Nearly 40,000 square feet of window space fitted with solar control, low-emissivity glass improves solar and thermal performance
When the late Jim Berry bought the 17-story Chestnut Tower next to his own Republic Centre in 2009, he quickly realized what was then a largely vacant building would need to be revamped to be successful.
So after paying $4 million to Franklin Haney, the original developer of the office tower, Berry proceeded to spend another $20 million to revamp and upgrade the Chestnut Street office complex with a new shell, windows, heating and air conditioning equipment, and a signature facade and first floor lobby highlighting the new name for the structure — Liberty Tower.
The changes were more than cosmetic. They were done with the environment in mind and helped the remodeling project achieve the Gold standard for LEED (Leadership in Environmental and Energy Design) — the largest such refurbished office building to gain that distinction in Tennessee by the U.S. Green Council.