FT. LAUDERDALE, FL-110 Tower moved one step closer to LEED Gold status this week. The class A office tower received the Energy Star rating for 2010, making it the only building in Ft. Lauderdale’s Central Business District to earn the recognition.

Genesis Capital Partners XI has invested more than $2 million to make energy-efficient upgrades to the 391,473-square-foot tower this year. The building is also in the midst of a $31 million capital improvement program, which includes lobby, office space, and exterior renovations.

“The building is only about 60% occupied at this time. It’s very important to a lot of tenants to have a very efficient building,” Ellen Rivera, a senior property manager at Transwestern, which handles leasing for 110 Tower, tells GlobeSt.com. “Our move toward energy-efficiency will help us attract more tenants to the building.”

An Energy Star qualified facility meets strict energy performance standards set by Environmental Protection Agency and uses less energy, is less expensive to operate, and causes fewer greenhouse gas emissions than non-Energy Star buildings. The tower is seeking LEED Gold certification.

Rivera says ownership has replaced three cooling towers and 18 of 26 air handling units. Ownership also installed energy-efficient lighting and an energy management system that allows maintenance engineers to adjust the AC temperature floor-by-floor from a computer. Rivera expects to win LEED certification within the next few months.

“It’s not easy to get to LEED Gold,” Rivera says. “We need to make sure tenants comply with recycling. Our vendors have to comply with requirements for cleaning supplies and pest control chemicals. We have to install eco-friendly carpet and paint during our renovations. It’s a lot of tracking.”

Formerly the AutoNation building, 110 Tower is located directly across the street to the Broward County Courthouse at 110 Southeast 6th Street. The second largest office building in Ft. Lauderdale’s CBD, the Tower is currently occupied by national and regional tenants.

Instant Insights /

110 Tower Moves Closer to LEED Gold

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