FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

KIRCO, KIRCO MANIX, and Kirksey Architecture Announce LEED Silver Certification of the Global Dow Center, Headquarters of The Dow Chemical Company


MIDLAND, MICHIGAN — KIRCO, KIRCO MANIX and Kirksey Architecture today announced The Dow Chemical Company’s state-of-the-art Global Dow Center headquarters in Midland, Mich. has obtained Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver certification.

Developed by the non-profit U.S. Green Building Council, LEED is the most widely used green certification program for building design, construction, operations and maintenance in the world. LEED is based on prerequisites and credits that a project meets to achieve a certification level. 

“While we were originally tasked with just LEED certification, we are extremely proud that the Global Dow Center headquarters has achieved Silver status and we were able to do so while remaining on budget and schedule,” said Quinn Kiriluk, executive vice president, corporate real estate & chief marketing officer for KIRCO. “With goals of increasing energy efficiency, reducing water use, and ensuring a healthy and productive indoor environment, this certification further confirms Dow’s commitment to the environment, sustainability and its employees.”

Brian Richard, executive vice president at Kirksey Architecture, continued: “It’s hard enough to design and build a great building at this scale with the various competing requirements. To be able to go beyond our original target and achieve LEED Silver certification is a testament to Dow’s commitment to sustainability and the developer / design team’s ability to provide outstanding design, service and innovative thinking.”

Demolition of Dow’s former Willard H. Dow 2020 building began in June 2015, which made way for the October 2015 groundbreaking of the 184,390-square-foot Global Dow Center. 

Sustainability was at the forefront of the project with green construction and demolition practices employed throughout. For example, 21,000-square-feet of vegetative rooftop and a nearly one-acre decorative pond wrap one-third of the building, helping to dramatically reduce heat islands and storm water runoff.

Other highlights from the LEED Silver certification include:

  • Sustainable Sites – located on an environmentally preferable site, the company encourages alternative means of transportation by reserving preferred parking spaces for low-emitting and fuel-efficient vehicles;
  • Water Efficiency – low-flow plumbing fixtures were used throughout the project, including low-flow faucets, urinals and toilets. Overall, the building is estimated to reduce indoor potable water use by 33 percent;
  • Energy & Atmosphere – the project utilized efficient lighting systems, such as LED and fluorescent fixtures throughout and is anticipated to reduce energy consumption by 30 percent. All HVAC and fire-suppression systems operate without Chlorofluorocarbons, Hydrochloroflourocarbons or Halon-based refrigerants, preventing the release of ozone-depleting substances;
  • Materials & Resources – 89 percent of construction waste for the project was recycled, salvaged or reused. Preference was given to local materials and those with high recycled content in order to reduce the impact associated with the extraction and processing of virgin materials; 
  • Indoor Environmental Quality – construction followed stringent guidelines to minimize the introduction of harmful air contaminants into the space, including the use of low-emitting paints, adhesives, sealants and flooring; and
  • Innovation Design – a green building education program provided information on the sustainable aspects of the project. In addition, the project utilized environmentally friendly cleaning and maintenance products.

See additional images from the LEED ceremony event and of the Global Dow Center here. 
View a video about this project here. 

About KIRCO 
KIRCO is an award-winning commercial real estate development, construction (KIRCO MANIX) and property management organization.  Having planned and developed over 30 million square feet, KIRCO is a major developer of build-to-suit own or lease properties coast to coast.  Because of KIRCO’s vertical integration, with development, construction, and property management under one roof, all facets work seamlessly as one extraordinary unit to bring out the best in every project.  Founded in 1974, KIRCO is third-generation family owned and operated, and has expertise in the corporate services (office, industrial, R&D), retail, senior living and healthcare sectors. KIRCO is headquartered in Troy, Mich. with a presence in Ohio, North Carolina, South Carolina, Alabama and Florida. For more information, please visit www.kirco.com. 

About KIRCO MANIX
KIRCO MANIX provides construction management services in office, light and heavy manufacturing, distribution, retail, healthcare and community market sectors. The company has operated throughout the region since 1929 and combines the experience of two well-established construction firms, Campbell / Manix and KIRCO Construction. With total construction volume exceeding $3 billion, KIRCO MANIX offers customers a unique, full-service approach by managing the design, engineering and construction phase through the eyes of an owner. For more information, please visit www.kircomanix.com.