The Thrivent Financial Corporate Center in Minneapolis has earned the Environmental Protection Agency’s highest honor: the ENERGY STAR award for its efforts to improve conservation and be more green. The 17-story, 26-year-old building, one of 114 operated by Thrivent in Minnesota, recently received an energy audit from Xcel Energy. Its rating of 93 percent means that only 7 percent of similar buildings are running more efficiently.
In the last five years, the company has more than doubled its energy performance rating. This diligence has lowed Thrivent’s yearly energy costs by $568,944. The company also cut greenhouse gas emissions almost in half, eliminating more than 13 million pounds of carbon dioxide emissions per year. These annual emissions savings are roughly the equivalent of lighting 8,000 Minnesota homes or taking 1,100 cars off the road, according to an EPA estimate.
Keven Farrell, executive managing
director of Minneapolis-based United Properties, says “greening” corporate real
estate makes good business sense. “More new office buildings are featuring
energy conservation, minimal waste, healthier interiors, water-saving features
and natural light. Meanwhile, companies in existing buildings are moving in the
direction of 'greenness' by installing more efficient lighting, cleaning with
green products and using recycled office furniture.”
