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ACCION Regional Headquarters Building Receives Gold Level LEED Certification
ACCION Regional Headquarters Building
Receives Gold Level LEED Certification
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Vice President of Advancement Lynn Trojahn
(505) 243-8844 ext. 5018, (505) 573-1180 cell.
Albuquerque, N.M. (Dec. 14, 2011) –The regional headquarters building of ACCION New Mexico • Arizona • Colorado (ACCION) has recently received Gold level certification through the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program administered by the Green Building Certification Institute. The building is located at 2000 Zearing Ave. NW in Albuquerque’s historic Sawmill neighborhood.
ACCION’s regional headquarters is a 7,500 square-foot environmentally sensitive building that contains meeting facilities and training space. It serves as ACCION’s base of operations to provide business credit and support services to entrepreneurs and business owners across New Mexico, Arizona and Colorado. The building was designed by the architectural firm Dekker/Perich/Sabatini and general contractor services were provided by Richardson & Richardson. Construction of the building was paid for through private contributions and funding from the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration (EDA).
Through the LEED process, projects earn points for meeting specific criteria. Some of the building’s sustainable features that helped earn Gold level LEED status include the use of over 81% recycled construction materials, comparative energy savings of 51%, an onsite photovoltaic solar system that provides 29% of the building’s energy and the development of the site to encourage public transit.
Chris Gunning, the lead architect for the project and a principal of Dekker/Perich/Sabatini, says, “Dekker/Perich/Sabatini is extremely proud to be a part of ACCION’s new headquarters. The work they do through micro-lending to burgeoning entrepreneurs is so inspiring and is the ultimate job creation strategy. ACCION’s recent receipt of LEED Gold certification for their new headquarters speaks volumes about their commitment to the community and to sustainable development.”
The regional headquarters building has also been recognized this year with the Associated General Contractors-New Mexico Building Branch’s first-ever Best Buildings Award for Long-Lasting Community Impact and the New Mexico National Association of Industrial and Office Properties (NAIOP) Merit Award for Office Excellence.
ACCION is dedicated to helping entrepreneurs and business owners fuel income generation, asset creation, employment opportunities and financial success through business ownership. The organization offers business loans between $200 and $300,000 along with training, networking and other support services to those who own or want to start a business.
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Founded in 1994, ACCION has financed the start-up, operation and/or growth of 3,353businesses
through 5,279loans totaling more than $34.3 million. The organization serves entrepreneurs
in 271 urban and rural communities in New Mexico, Arizona and Colorado.
ACCION’s client businesses report creating or sustaining an estimated 5,365 jobs.
Please visit us at www.accionnm.org or call 1-800-508-7624.
Thank you for visiting the Accion New Mexico · Arizona · Colorado website.
Please contact Erin McDermott at emcdermott@accionnm.org regarding any errors or requested revisions.