Building The Future Together

The United State Green Building Council (USGBC) – Wisconsin recently held their annual Transformation Awards that recognizes individuals, groups and organizations championing sustainable practices and driving market transformation within Wisconsin’s built environment.

Hunzinger Construction Company and its subsidiary, Sustainable Building Solutions (SBS), are proud that one of our recent projects, the Steamfitters Local 601 Training Center was given an award of merit in the Innovative Design, New Construction category.

The Steamfitters Local 601 Training Center located in Madison, is a new construction 58,450 SF facility that includes traditional classrooms and state of the art training areas for fabrication and welding.  The building houses new indoor training equipment, including a 3-story rigging structure that allows apprentices to train in a climate-controlled environment before they have to work out in the elements.  The Steamfitters Local 601 wanted the facility designed and built specifically to meet USGBC LEED performance standards to train the next generation of union steamfitters in the most environmentally responsible way.

https://www.usgbc.org/articles/usgbc-wisconsin-2019-leadership-award-winners-announced

Hunzinger Construction Company served as the Construction Manager and the project management team included all LEEP AP’s.  The project was designed by Potter Lawson Architects.  Key sustainable strategies focus on energy savings through a very high efficiency HVAC system and the VRF system was chosen specifically for its high efficiencies in this part of the country and so that the building itself can be a teaching tool for those that are coming there to learn the mechanical trade. A high performance building shell, and skylights for daylighting were also incorporated and the building was designed to accommodate a rain water retention system in the future.

The building was LEED BD+C Certified and Phil Vetterkind, Director of Sustainable Building Solutions, served as LEED Coordinator and consultant on the project.

About Sustainable Building Solutions™

Sustainable Building Solutions (SBS) is a green construction advisory firm that works directly for building owners, architects and general contractors to identify and implement project specific sustainability goals including USGBC LEED and Energy Star certifications. Phil Vetterkind, Director / LEED AP O+M is committed to the environment and to providing owners with real cost saving recommendations to ensure that projects reduce energy use and operational expenses while meeting high quality standards and minimizing their impact on the environment. SBS has successfully guided over 40 projects through USGBC LEED certifications and has benchmarked over 30 commercial buildings for Energy Star and has certified over a dozen. SBS has proven time and again that pursuing LEED certification adds real value and is much more than just a plaque on the wall.

About USGBC Wisconsin

USGBC Wisconsin is working to make healthy, sustainable buildings a reality for the people of the Wisconsin within a generation.  Their members, volunteer working groups, and Market Leadership Advisory Board (MLAB) are diverse groups of individuals that are passionate about green buildings and sustainable design. Their mission is to transform the way buildings and communities are designed, built, and operated, enabling a socially responsible, healthy and prosperous environment that improves the quality of life, and we work toward our mission through education, advocacy, and collaboration.

As part of a large network helping advance sustainable places to live and work nationwide, we help fulfill USGBC’s mission in Wisconsin and USGBC’s West North Central Region by providing education and opportunities to volunteer and network.