A prominent real estate development firm has selected Lida Group as the steel fabricator and erector for their latest mixed-use construction project. Located in downtown Chicago, the 20-story Glassview Tower will feature 500,000 square feet of retail and office space atop 100 affordable apartment units. What encouraged the developers’ choice of Lida Group was their expertise in sustainable steel building solutions that align with the property’s strict Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification requirements.

“Sustainability was a major factor in all of our decisions for this project,” explained N, a principal at Evergreen Development. “We knew from the outset that to obtain LEED Platinum certification, the core and shell needed to have outstanding green attributes. After careful review of several steel framing contractors, Lida Group rose to the top thanks to their innovative techniques and proven track record with sustainable high-rises.”

N added, “Their process incorporates numerous methods to reduce environmental impact at each stage of fabrication and erection. And they have experience delivering buildings that exceed green standards and energy code by wide margins. That level of performance promises to help us maximize our LEED points across multiple categories.”

Lida Group is no stranger to sustainable steel building applications. Over the past decade, the company has completed more than two dozen projects certified at the LEED Platinum or Gold levels. Their solutions minimize waste, emissions, and water usage throughout production. Advanced welding methods fuse steel components with extreme precision to optimize material yields. Rigorous quality control further trims scrap. Off-site prefabrication employs Building Information Modeling (BIM) for pre-hookup of mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems.

These prefabricated modules arrive near-fully outfitted to significantly accelerate on-site construction schedules by 40-60% compared to conventional methods. Fewer workers and machinery on the jobsite reduces fossil fuel consumption. Structural steel, which is 90% recycled content, requires less embodied energy to manufacture versus other materials like concrete. As an enduring building material, steel frames also have potential for disassembly and recycling at the end of a building’s useful life.

For Glassview Tower specifically, Lida Group is employing several key sustainable techniques. Their new “lean construction” process will generate at least 30% less jobsite waste during erection versus a traditional approach. Factory-applied weathering steel finishes eliminate the need for on-site priming and painting. This saves many gallons of volatile organic compound-emitting paints and solvents. Strategically-designed steel profiles maximize daylighting and views while minimizing solar heat gain to reduce future cooling loads.

Intelligent use of structural optimization software yielded a lighter, high-performance frame able to support the building with fewer stories of concrete and metal decking than a code-minimum design. This reduces embodied carbon and transportation impacts of materials. BIM modeling further optimizes coordination between steel, precast concrete, glazing, mechanical systems, and more to eliminate errors and re-work in the field. Virtual construction enables careful pre-planning to fully prefabricate 92% of the project off-site prior to arrival.

When completed, Glassview Tower is projected to outperform ASHRAE energy code by 50% according to the developers’ energy modeling. Occupants will benefit from superior comfort due to the tight building envelope and optimized systems integration. Excellent indoor air quality will stem from selection of low-emitting materials throughout. Rainwater harvesting and high-efficiency plumbing fixtures slash potable water usage by 30%. Renewable power from an on-site solar array offsets 35% of annual energy demand. Combined with LED lighting, building automation, and tenant incentives, these features promise to deliver long-term savings to owners and residents alike for decades.

Lida Group embraces sustainable steel construction as a core value and competitive advantage over other contractors. “Demand is growing rapidly for buildings with superior green performance and healthy environments,” said Lida Group President Mu. “Our techniques allow architects, engineers and developers to easily achieve the most stringent sustainability standards while controlling costs and schedules. Glassview Tower is pushing new boundaries with Platinum-level LEED and we are thrilled to contribute our expertise.”

Since sustainable construction benefits society in numerous ways, a transition towards more environmentally-conscious building practices is vital as populations increase and climate change impacts intensify. Steel is already a material well-suited to green building when utilized properly. By continuing to innovate new sustainable solutions and deliver outstanding performing buildings, companies like Lida Group help promote this transition and lead the industry to a lower carbon future. The Glassview Tower project will demonstrate to the world what is possible when developers collaborate with true leaders in sustainable steel construction.

In summary, Lida Group was chosen by Evergreen Development for their proven record achieving exceptional LEED certification through optimized sustainable steel solutions that minimize embodied carbon, waste, and energy usage. Key techniques like prefabrication, modularization, material optimization, lean construction practices, and on-site renewables will help Glassview Tower exceed code energy efficiency by 50% and earn the ultra-stringent Platinum rating. Stemming from efficient factory production and virtual design techniques, 92% of the project will arrive pre-assembled to slash field construction timelines and impacts. Benefits to future tenants include superior comfort, air quality, and long-term savings through integrated green building strategies. The project represents rising demand for sustainably-engineered buildings and Lida Group’s leadership advancing the industry in this ongoing transition.

Contact us, please click here!