ka Adds LEED Certified Project to its Portfolio

Cleveland, OH (April 16, 2008) – ka was part of the team that pursued the design and construction of The Promenade Bolingbrook, a sustainable project in Bolingbrook, Illinois, which received 26 of the 27 points pursued in their goal of providing a LEED certified project.

Although ka and its consultants were diligent in their pursuit of providing a sustainable project, the primary reason for the LEED certification success was that their client, Forest City Development, was committed to sustainable design principles. Sustainable elements used on The Promenade Bolingbrook project include, but are not limited to:

• Specified interior finishes and building materials with low emissions and high-recycled content.
• Incorporated indigenous, low maintenance plant material into the landscaping plan
• Used local, regional and rapidly renewable materials
• Forest City Development, ka and Woolpert LLP, the civil engineer, prepared a site plan that incorporated alternate transportation methods, public transportation access, and low-emitting and fuel-efficient vehicle parking areas.

“As sustainability in the retail market becomes more widely supported, we anticipate that our commitment to sustainable design will be recognized by our clients and we welcome the opportunity to work with them to attain LEED certified developments,” said Sue Bercik, ka Studio Leader. “Where LEED certification is not possible we will identify alternate environmental programs that contribute to the philosophy of sustainability and sustainable design,” she adds.

The Promenade Bolingbrook was a team effort and as executive architect, ka also provided land and site planning and worked alongside the concept-building designer, Redmond Schwartz Mark Design, to bring this Forest City Development project to fruition.

Staffed with eleven LEED accredited professionals, ka’s focus on sustainable design has become an integral part of the firm’s staff development through educational sessions, attendance at the Green Building Conference and LEED study groups. Founded in 1960, ka has evolved into a nationally recognized, 105-person firm based in Cleveland, Ohio with a second location in Tampa, Florida. The firm’s mix of services include site and land planning, architecture, interior architecture, landscape architecture and environmental graphic design services.

Contact: Abigail Dachille, ka architecture, 216.830.1584, adachill@kainc.com
Images available upon request