Port Blakely Communities Office Building by
CollinsWoerman Obtains LEED Gold Certification

SEATTLE ( Jan. 22, 2009) — CollinsWoerman and Port Blakely Communities announced today that the Port Blakely Communities office building, an administrative office facility in the Issaquah Highlands, has earned Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold Certification by the U.S. Green Building Council.

CollinsWoerman designed the 31,340-square-foot building, achieving LEED certification for energy use, lighting, water and material use. By incorporating a variety of sustainable strategies consistent with Port Blakely Communities’ direction and vision, CollinsWoerman created a quality, eco-friendly space with a smart, inspired design that delivers community and economic value.

“The strength of Green Building Council has always been the collective strength of our leaders in the building industry,” said Rick Fedrizzi, president and founding chair of the council. “Given the extraordinary importance of climate protection and the central role of the building industry in that effort, CollinsWoerman demonstrates their leadership through its LEED certification of the Port Blakely Communities office building.”

LEED certification of the Port Blakely Communities office building was based on a number of green design and construction elements that positively impact the project and broader community. These features include sustainable, locally grown and manufactured building materials, solar insulated glazing and roofing, and canopies and trees for shading. Exterior planters rely on recycled water to lower overall water consumption of the building, which is located near a park-and-ride site to encourage the use of public transportation.

“The LEED Gold Certification reinforces our community’s commitment to environmental stewardship,” said Alan Boeker, president, Port Blakely Communities. “This building represents the future of ‘green’ building practices, which have long been the guiding principles for us at Issaquah Highlands.”

“In addition to meeting LEED certification, this building was carefully designed to tie into the community as a handsome and prominent structure, without being overbearing,” said Paul Spivey, CollinsWoerman architect. “Taking advantage of site attributes enabled us to create grand, peaceful vistas overlooking the Highlands. The careful, collaborative work with Port Blakely Communities achieves the highest potential for this project.”

Issaquah Highlands is a 3,250-home urban village developed by Port Blakely Communities. The office building blends into the community’s compact urban density that integrates homes, a vibrant shopping and commercial district, more than 10 miles of hiking trails, and more than 100 acres for parks, recreation and sports fields - all concentrated in only 780 acres of the total 2,200 acres.

Boeker said there are four levels of LEED Certification – Certified, Silver, Gold and Platinum – and two other prominent Issaquah Highlands landmarks have received LEED recognition. In 2003, Fire Station #73 became the First LEED Silver Fire Station in the United States, and in 2005, Blakely Hall was awarded LEED Silver Certification.

About CollinsWoerman
Founded in 1988, CollinsWoerman is a full-service architecture, planning, sustainable development and interior design firm headquartered in Seattle, Wash. The company currently has more than 100 employees working on projects for clients such as Bastyr University, Hanover Development, Wasatch Development, Group Health Cooperative, Virginia Mason, Northwest Hospital, the Seattle Housing Authority and the Port of Bellingham. For more information, visit www.collinswoerman.com.

About Port Blakely Communities
Port Blakely Communities applies its family values of integrity, quality, innovation and stewardship to the business of real estate. Working with neighbors, regulators and elected officials, Port Blakely Communities creates residential and mixed-use urban villages that embrace the principles of smart growth. In partnership with the region’s premier homebuilders, the company builds communities that are known for their quality construction, innovative design, small-town feel and respect for the environment. Founded in the 1990s, Port Blakely Communities’ latest and largest effort is the award-winning Issaquah Highlands community, a 3,250-home urban village. Its innovative design, smart growth philosophy and cutting-edge environmental safeguards make Issaquah Highlands the standard for others to follow. For more information, visit www.portblakely.com and www.issaquahhighlands.com.

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