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LEED CERTIFICATION: Upon the purchase of the property in July of 2006, the project concept was conceived and shortly thereafter, the decision was made to adopt the standards set forth by the US Green Building Council (USGBC) under the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) program. A goal was set by the Bowers + Kubota Project Team to achieve a minimum level of Silver Certification for both the property and warehouse under LEED Core & Shell, as well as Bowers + Kubota Consulting’s interior office space located on the second floor, under LEED Commercial Interiors. The project concept was realized in February of 2008 when Bowers + Kubota Consulting moved into its unique building.

BUILDING PERFORMANCE: Energy consumption for the building was reduced by 33% by reducing lighting densities while providing natural day lighting and occupant controls. Efficient air handlers and variable fan drives in combination with integrated ceiling fans, operable windows and energy efficient equipment help to maximize building energy performance. In addition to reducing the building’s energy demand by a third, a photovoltaic solar farm mounted on the roof supplies nearly 95% of the buildings remaining power needs. Water usage was also reduced by 40% though the installation of waterless urinals, dual flush toilets, occupant censored low flow faucets and drought tolerant landscaping. Furthermore, the careful efforts of the project team resulted in the successful recycling of 75% of the construction waste generated from the project, minimizing contributions to Hawai’i’s over burdened landfills.

INNOVATION: The BK Holdings Warehouse is a prime example of sustainable environmental design as a careful and thorough design process that creates a product which protects environmental quality and human health while reducing environmental impacts. The volatility of the world economy combined with rising energy costs reflects the dependency of the future success of Bowers + Kubota Consulting on diversifying our expertise. We are proud of our accomplishments and humbled by our efforts and experience in achieving our goal of sustainability.

Winners of the Hawai'i State 'Oihana Maika'i Award, which is based on the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality core principles.

Bowers + Kubota Consulting is proud to have designed & built the first LEED certified commercial building in Hawaii, achieving "Gold" certification in both the "Core and Shell" and "Commercial Interiors" categories in September 2009.

In an age where we may be rapidly exceeding our planet’s carrying capacity for the ecological systems that support us, designing, building and renovating projects in ways that are more symbiotic with the efficiencies and resiliency of natural systems is more critical than ever. Although “green buildings” are still evolving in Hawai’i, Bowers + Kubota Consulting was committed to taking a proactive role in preserving our environment and accepted the challenge to design and construct an environmentally conscious building that also promotes a healthier working environment for their employees.

BUILDING DESIGN: The "Warehouse for BK Holdings" was constructed to house the main offices of Bowers + Kubota Consulting, as well as provide tenant warehouse and office spaces. The warehouse is situated on former Oahu Sugar Company land in the historic mill town of Waipahu which once employed two out of every five working people in Hawai’i. After the selection of a site in the Milltown Business Center in Waipahu, the decision was made by Bowers + Kubota Consulting to design a building utilizing sustainable materials that would also reflect and preserve the cultural context and history of the area. Interior office designs were limited to rapidly renewable, low-emitting, recycled and regional products. In addition to being sustainable in nature, the materials in the space resonate a constant theme; telling a story about the former plantation lifestyle of the Ewa Plains of West Oahu.