BBS Architects Engineers

EMC 219 Eighth Street Earns Regional Leadership Award of Merit

December 3, 2019

The United States Green Building Council has awarded a 2019 Regional Leadership Award of Merit for the USGBC West North Central Region to EMC Insurance Companies 219 8th Street Office Building.

219 8th Street is a 58,800 square foot Class-A office building owned and operated by EMC Insurance Companies in downtown Des Moines, Iowa. Construction on the building was completed in 2017 and was designed by BBS Architects | Engineers. The four-story building includes a wellness facility, collaboration spaces, and a conference center floor. The building expands EMC’s existing campus of buildings on the same city block.

Early in design the Owner and Design Team identified sustainability and occupant wellness to be key focuses of the design. The building needed to support the needs of EMC’s employees while also providing a spectacular place to work. EMC more than delivered on these goals. From their choice of location near many amenities in the heart of Downtown to the inclusion of a full-floor Wellness Center, the design focus on occupant comfort and well-being is evident in the final result. Other features of the building that prioritize the health of the building’s occupants include 100% LED lighting, enhanced air quality and filtration, ample views providing connection to the outdoors, and a day lit staircase that encourages occupants to be active throughout the day.

Energy efficiency strategies employed in the building include new high-efficiency hot water boilers and water heaters, replacing traditional steam boilers, that provide heating for this and other buildings on EMC’s campus. An environmentally friendly heat recovery chilled water plant allows the building to recoup waste heat and transfer it to incoming services, saving up to 3 million BTUs in annual gas and electric energy input. The building’s triple-pane glass curtain wall system creates a building envelope that is energy efficient while still providing ample daylight and sweeping views throughout the building.

219 8th Street is a beautiful addition to EMC’s campus and the downtown Des Moines neighborhood.

For More Information:

Owner: EMC Insurance Companies

Architecture, Mechanical, and Electrical Engineering: BBS Architects | Engineers

Sustainability Consultant: NV5

Structural Engineer: Raker Rhodes Engineering

General Contractor: Neumann Brothers, Inc

Mechanical Contractor: Waldinger, Inc.

Electrical Contractor: Baker Electric

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