Mericle Commercial Real Estate Services is proud to announce that its Green Building Program has led to a prestigious environmental certification from the United States Green Building Council (USGBC).
Mericle has received LEED® Silver Certification for Commercial Interiors for work completed at the industrial facility it leases to Amazon.com in Humboldt Industrial Park near Hazleton. LEED® stands for “Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design,” and is a national industry measurement tool created by the USGBC to define the industry’s most environmentally conscious projects.
Mericle’s Amazon.com project is the first industrial building in Northeastern Pennsylvania to receive LEED® certification.
In order to achieve LEED® Silver Certification for the Amazon.com project, Mericle reduced power consumption through energy-efficient light fixtures, highly-efficient mechanical systems, and the tenant’s use of Energy Star rated equipment. Interior finish materials were specified based on recycled content and proximity of the manufacturer of materials to the site. Water use was reduced by 40% with the installation of low-flow plumbing fixtures. Quality of Life issues were addressed with increased building ventilation and the use of construction materials with low levels of volatile organic compounds. Mericle made additional green improvements that included reserving parking for carpool and energy-efficient cars, adding bike rack storage, and eliminating irrigation requirements by planting native or adaptive landscaping.
Originally constructed as a 501,600 square foot spec building in 2006 as part of Mericle’s Green Building Program, Mericle added 114,000 square feet in 2008 to accommodate Amazon.com’s need for a regional fulfillment center. The building is now 1080′ long by 570′ wide and includes more than 600,000 square feet of storage area, approximately 15,000 square feet of office and support space, a sophisticated product-handling system, and 50 dock positions.
Amazon employs approximately 800 permanent and temporary workers and expects total employment to rise as high as 1,600 during the holiday season.
According to Mericle Vice President Bill Jones, who assisted Amazon.com during the site selection process, several factors influenced the company’s decision to locate at 550 Oak Ridge Road. “Our spec building met the company’s initial needs, plus it was expandable and is located in a Keystone Opportunity Expansion Zone,” said Jones. “The building is perfectly located with respect to the company’s supply chain network and we were able to prove to them that through our responsive, full-service delivery platform, we could meet their timetable and green building requirements.”
Mericle’s Green Building Program began several years ago with a commitment to provide lower operating costs to tenants through the implementation of eco-friendly, energy-saving measures. By constructing tight building envelopes, installing energy-efficient T-bay lighting and HVAC systems, improving ventilation and indoor air quality, and by using native and adaptive landscaping and recycled/regional materials, Mericle is making a concerted effort to “go green.”
Recently, two of Mericle’s design professionals, Scott Frask and Christine Kreamer, RA, received USGBC LEED® professional accreditation. Frask and Kreamer are leading an effort to obtain LEED® certification for several additional Mericle properties.
Mericle Commercial Real Estate Services, founded by Rob Mericle, is a vertically-integrated company with more than 200 in-house professionals with expertise in all aspects of commercial real estate development and construction. The Mericle team includes licensed architects, land planners, professional engineers, surveyors, licensed electricians, plumbers, carpenters, certified public accountants, in-house legal counsel, leasing and marketing professionals, licensed brokers, property managers, and more.