In recent decades, Las Vegas has invested millions of dollars in sustainability measures. From conserving water to transitioning to sustainable energy, the city has sought to curb its environmental footprint. Their efforts have paid off, and in 2016, the US Green Building Council named Las Vegas a LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Gold City.
As the General Contractor for one of the world’s largest sustainability development projects – the massive CityCenter, now called the “Aria Campus”- Tutor Perini led the way in Las Vegas’ effort. Tutor Perini guided the monumental development to an incredible six LEED Gold certifications. Let’s take a look at the project and how Tutor Perini did it.
What Is CityCenter?
The $6.4 billion CityCenter is located in the center of the Las Vegas Strip. It is a 67-acre mixed-use campus that encompasses several buildings, including the 61-story Aria Resort & Casino, which serves as the development’s centerpiece. Other buildings include the 57-story Vdara Hotel and Spa, the 47-story Waldorf Astoria Las Vegas (formerly known as the Mandarin Oriental Las Vegas), the 37-story Veer Towers condominium residences, and the Shops at Crystals.
Tutor Perini served as the general contractor for the entirety of the 18 million-square-foot campus, executing designs from several different firms under the direction of architectural firm Gensler. Tutor Perini was also able to self-perform a significant amount of the work, utilizing their subsidiaries Fisk for electrical and Desert Mechanical for plumbing.
A Groundbreaking Project
According to Las Vegas sustainability officer Marco Velotta, the city’s support for sustainability “began in earnest” in 2005. Tutor Perini broke ground on CityCenter in April 2006, making the project one of the first of this new era.
The project has proven—along with other Las Vegas developments like the Palazzo—to be a model for the hotel and gaming industry. Following the path forged by CityCenter and the Palazzo, other Las Vegas hotels and casinos being built around this time began to seek LEED certification. Even those who didn’t often incorporated green practices into their design.
The Path to LEED Gold Certification
Achieving LEED certification is a complex, intricate process that requires buy-in from all relevant parties. This includes, perhaps most of all, the project developer. In the case of CityCenter, MGM Mirage was committed from the beginning, staying engaged throughout the five-year process to ensure LEED Gold certification would be achieved.
As the general contractor, Tutor Perini was an enormous part of that effort. Beginning in the pre-construction phase, the firm collaborated with the planning and design team to determine the precise path to LEED Gold certification.
Together with all the relevant stakeholders, including LEED experts, Tutor Perini modeled the cost of all of the green components. As construction began, it tracked and documented many of the LEED credits and was responsible for managing the LEED compliance of more than $1 billion worth of building materials.
A Commitment to Sustainability
Working cooperatively with more than 250 subcontractors, Tutor Perini managed and undertook myriad efforts to earn LEED credits. These included:
- Reusing and Recycling—After the implosion of the Boardwalk Hotel and Casino, Tutor Perini recycled or reused as backfill more than 80 percent of the remaining materials, including doors, broken tiles, scrap steel, and asphalt. It also reused yellow food grease from local sources to serve as biofuel, used large amounts of recycled fly ash as a cement replacement, and designed a method for controlling dust that preserved 2.4 million gallons of potable water.
- Obtaining Sustainable Materials—Much of the construction materials for City Center came from sources within a 500-mile radius, including the majority of structural and reinforcing steel, drywall, millwork/cabinetry, and raw materials needed for concrete. Over 91 percent of the wood used was certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). Tutor Perini also worked with subcontractors to become FSC certified. This commitment to sustainability led to the project being named Best Commercial Project of the Year at the FSC’s Design and Build Awards.
- Maintaining a Safe Environment—Tutor Perini designed, implemented, and managed all aspects of an Indoor Air Quality Management Plan to protect the health of employees. They also implemented and managed Dust Control and Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plans, which included saving 2.4 million gallons of portable water by utilizing reclaimed water from Monte Carlo’s cooling tower to mitigate dust pollution.
Leading the Way to a Greener Future
The CityCenter project demonstrated that conscientious sustainability efforts can have lasting rewards. From boosting the local economy by sourcing regional products, to substantial energy consumption savings over the life of the buildings, to being attractive to consumers preferring to spend their dollars at eco-friendly locations, Tutor Perini is proud to have been a pioneer in the greening of Las V
Add Comment