First Wind awarded LEED Gold - 36,000 s/f fit-up by Commodore Builders

According to Commodore Builders, First Wind was awarded LEED Gold certification, as established by the U.S. Green Building Council and verified by the Green Building Certification Institute. First Wind is a leader in wind power, renewable energy and wind farm technologies. In October 2009, the company moved from its suburban location, to 179 Lincoln St. In collaboration with Gensler, Millennium Partners, Dowling Houy and WB Engineers, Commodore completed the 36,000 s/f interior fit-out for First Wind's new office, located on the fifth floor of the 110-year-old building. Commodore installed new finishes, flooring, skylights, paint and all-glass office fronts. The space also included a new 1,000 s/f Data Acquisition Computing Center (DACC) that measures the international kilowatt/minute output of energy for the company. LEED is one of the nation's preeminent program for the design, construction and operation of high performance green buildings. The construction of First Wind's new office provides employees with a healthier environment and minimizes the depletion of natural resources. LEED Gold certification of the First Wind project was based on several green design and construction features that positively impacted the project and the broader community, including a more efficient use of energy and the utilization of regional and recycled materials. One hundred percent of the equipment on-site is Energy Star certified. 98% of the wood products installed are FSC certified, 78% of materials used during construction were diverted from landfills and 42% of the supplied materials were manufactured within a 500 mile radius of the project. "It was a privilege to work with the entire First Wind team," said Joe Albanese, president and CEO of Commodore. "It's especially gratifying to have our efforts recognized by USGBC and enjoyed by the employees who work at First Wind." First Wind marks another client in a series of high-profile projects for Commodore Builders. Recently awarded projects include the renovation of Nutter McClennen & Fish, as well as the build-out for the Federal Home Loan Bank's new headquarters in Boston. Additional LEED certified projects completed by Commodore include Leggat McCall Properties, LLC - LEED Platinum Certification, Third Sector New England - LEED-CI Silver Certification, Partners Harvard Medical International and Virgin Money. Commodore Builders provides its clients with a wide range of construction services, from project conception to pre-construction, execution, close-out and warranty service. The firm has been named by the Boston Globe as one of the Top 100 Places to Work in Massachusetts, as a BBJ Pacesetter and has appeared on the Inc. 500 list of fastest growing privately held businesses. For more information, please visit www.commodorebuilders.com. First Wind is a leading independent North American wind energy company focused exclusively on the development, ownership and operation of wind energy projects. For more information on First Wind, please visit www.firstwind.com.