DALLAS—The Omni Dallas Hotel, located in the heart of downtown Dallas, has outlined its sustainability plan which will lead to the property’s LEED Silver New Construction (NC) certification upon opening. The plan includes use of recycled and regionally-sourced materials, reduced construction pollution and water conservation initiatives.
“Earning the LEED Silver New Construction status will be a tremendous accomplishment—one made possible by the tremendous efforts of the City, Matthews Southwest, Balfour/Russell/Pegasus, 5Gstudio_collaborative, BOKA Powell, Vivian-Nichols Associates and every team member who has a hand in keeping the project focused on sustainability,” said Nils Stolzlechner, general manager of the Omni Dallas Hotel. “These efforts will continue upon the hotel’s opening to provide an eco-friendly environment for our associates, guests and the community.”
Scheduled to open early in 2012, the property has employed a recycling program for all construction waste. The Omni Dallas Hotel is also utilizing recycled and regional materials throughout the construction process. For example, the interior design for the hotel’s three-meal-a-day restaurant, Texas Spice, includes reclaimed timber and brick. Additionally, certified wood is being used for 50 percent of the wood-based material to encourage environmentally responsible forest management.
Water Cistern for Irrigation
The hotel’s design will reduce the amount of storm water run-off with a 25,000-gallon cistern to capture water as a means of irrigation in lieu of city water, limiting the use of potable water and other resources. The northwest corner of the property will feature a rain garden designed to help with run-off. Furthermore, the water softener system is tied to the cooling tower—which helps the efficiency of the system—and will reduce water and chemical usage, both of which will have a positive environmental impact.
The hotel sits in an area with a significant public transportation infrastructure, thus reducing the number of car commuters and reducing pollution, and upon completion, the property will have numerous bike racks and on-site changing rooms. All of the 720 parking spaces provided will be covered, which limits the heat island effect.
Other sustainable efforts include:
• Roof materials feature solar reflective indexes to help with heat island effects.
• Systems for lighting and thermal control. Examples include guestrooms equipped with a key switching system where guests put the room key into a slot to turn on lights and have control of the heating, ventilating and air-conditioning (HVAC) system. When removed, the HVAC system sets back to a preset temperature and the lights automatically shut off.
• The indoor air quality management plan will reduce indoor air quality problems resulting from construction, and the team is using low volatile organic compounds products such as paints, adhesives and carpet systems.
The project is overseen by numerous LEED accredited professionals, ranging from the design-builders staff to various engineers and consultants. Balfour/Russell/Pegasus, the construction company responsible for the project, hired a LEED consultant to ensure the project is built to meet the credit requirements established by the U.S. Green Building Council.
Go to the Omni Dallas Hotel.
