The Irving Convention and Visitors Bureau (ICVB) announces the Irving Convention Center at Las Colinas (ICCLC) project as the 5^th convention center in the country to achieve LEED® Silver certified by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) and verified by the Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI). LEED is the nation’s preeminent program for the design, construction and operation of high performance green buildings.

“We had a distinct opportunity with the design and construction of the ICCLC to create a new icon for the destination that would set a standard, for sustainability as well as for a new category of gathering places,” said Maura Allen Gast, ICVB executive director. “The building’s success in its first two years of hosting nearly 500 events is even further magnified by the achievement of LEED Silver, and I am thrilled.”

ICCLC achieved LEED certification for energy use, lighting, water and material use, as well as incorporating a variety of other sustainable strategies.

By using less energy and water, the ICCLC saves money for families, businesses and taxpayers; reduces greenhouse gas emissions; and contributes to a healthier environment for residents, workers, and the larger community.

“Good design is green,” said Barbara Hillier, said ICCLC project principal design architect, now with Hillier Studio. “Buildings have impact on the land and the local ecology that have to be managed and, in the best case, optimized through the cogency of creative architectural solutions.”

“ICCLC’s LEED certification at the Silver level demonstrates tremendous green building leadership,” said Rick Fedrizzi, president, CEO and founding chair, U.S. Green Building Council. “The urgency of USGBC’s mission has challenged the industry to move faster and reach further than ever before, and ICCLC serves as a prime example with just how much we can accomplish. With each new LEED-certified building, we get one step closer to USGBC’s vision of a sustainably built environment within a generation. As the newest member of the LEED family of green buildings, ICCLC is an important addition to the growing strength of the green building movement.”

LEED certification of ICCLC was based on a number of green design and construction features that positively impact the project itself and the broader community:

From an operational standpoint, the "stacked" building gains efficiencies with its heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems, translating into a more energy-efficient structure. The vertical plan also meant a smaller footprint of land was needed.

Center operations use water from nearby Lake Carolyn for irrigation, and for the building's "gray-water" systems, which account for nearly 90 percent of its water use, saving 18.9 million gallons of water annually.

Nearly 90 percent of the facility’s light fixtures are dimmable and programmable.

The copper exterior is more than just a design element. The no-maintenance material translates into lower costs for the center, eliminating the need for painting every few years to maintain its appearance.

Perforations in the copper skin also provide an important role for energy efficiency, providing built-in shade while using the natural currents of the wind to create a cushion of cooling air between it and the building, decreasing the need for air-conditioning while in essence, shading itself.

The trusses of the massive 4000-ton steel structure were designed so that they could be sourced domestically; much of the steel came from recycled sources nearby in North Texas and Oklahoma. 

Nearly 90 percent of the construction waste was diverted or recycled, including more than 50,000 cubic yards of dirt which was re-purposed nearby for a lakefront reclamation project.

An integrated garage helps to reduce the amount of asphalt required for surface parking lots common with more institutionally-designed facilities.

“It was very important to Irving that the Convention Center be designed and built to high environmental standards,” said Tom Meehan, general manager of the ICCLC. “It is even more important to the City, and to all of us, that we now operate the building with a continued commitment and focus on sustainability.”

In 2012 alone, the ICCLC’s green initiatives resulted in a cardboard diversion of 47,810 pounds, and a mixed recyclable diversion of 20,460 pounds, equivalent to approximately 130,944 20-ounce plastic bottles.

Source: City of Irving