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Detroit, Mich. – Walbridge, a Detroit-based multi-national full-service construction service provider, is pleased to announce that its world headquarters has received a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®) Silver CI Certification from the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC).   This makes Walbridge’s headquarters’ office space the first in the City of Detroit to attain this level of certification for a commercial interiors project.

There are four levels of LEED Certification bestowed by USGBC:  Certified, Silver, Gold, and Platinum.  Certifications recognize new construction as well as commercial interior (CI) projects.  The CI award received by Walbridge was for the renovation of the interiors of the two floors of the 777 Woodward building that comprise Walbridge’s headquarters across the street from the popular gathering place, Campus Martius.

“We were excited to move our headquarters into the heart of Detroit two years ago,” said Walbridge Chairman and CEO John Rakolta, Jr.  “Today we’re pleased to bring the city recognition that comes with the achievement of an exceptionally high level of sustainability in construction work. 

“Constructing a green office space was the right thing to do for many reasons,” he continued.   “Most importantly, we wanted to foster a culture of sustainability and better benchmark the system that we lead many of our customers through.”

“A CI LEED certification can be even harder to achieve than a new construction project,” explained Dan Lamble, the Walbridge engineering manager responsible for the renovation effort.  “When you’re dealing with existing construction, you must reconfigure and redesign systems as well as replace materials, which is often more complex than starting from scratch.”

The Walbridge office space was constructed using recycled and environmentally safe materials.  For instance, a large percentage of construction materials – flooring, ceiling tiles, wallboards and workstations – were produced using recycled content.  Nearly 80 percent of construction waste was recycled and diverted from landfills, and more than 60 percent of the furniture from Walbridge’s former headquarters site was reused, diverting it from landfills.  Also, more than half of the materials utilized during construction were purchased from within a 500-mile radius of Detroit, minimizing the project’s carbon footprint.  Read more about this project > 

Walbridge’s commitment to reducing environmental impacts during construction continues.  In March, the company launched a sustainable job site program, GreenWISE, as an extension of its existing sustainability efforts.  This new initiative includes requirements that surpass Environmental Protection Agency, Resource Conservation and Recovery Act regulatory and municipal guidelines.

For more information, contact Walbridge Marketing Director Karen Manardo at 313.442.1209.

Founded in 1916, Walbridge has steadily grown to become one of the top 50 construction firms worldwide.  Headquartered in Detroit, Michigan, Walbridge provides diverse delivery options including construction management, program management, general contracting, design-build and turn-key solutions.   Services include pre-construction, engineering management and decommissioning.  The company also self-performs structural concrete and flatwork, millwright and rigging, equipment installation and facilities management.  While Walbridge remains the leading firm in the construction of automotive facilities in the United States, the company also possesses expertise in construction market segments that include airports, healthcare, education, federal government, infrastructure, manufacturing, research and development and power and energy.  For more information, visit the Walbridge website at www.walbridge.com.