This document summarizes the renovation of the 5th floor of the Town Lake Center building in Austin, Texas to earn LEED Silver certification. The renovation reduced energy and water consumption, diverted construction waste from landfills, promoted alternative transportation, and improved indoor air quality. Specific strategies included using renewable energy, efficient fixtures, recycled and salvaged building materials, bicycle parking, and low-VOC materials.

1. Town Lake Center 5th Floor Renovation
LEED Performance Report
BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE
OFFICE OF THE CITY ARCHITECT

2. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The following Performance Reports were created in accordance with Council Resolution 20071129-045. The
City of Austin is a recognized international leader in sustainable building practices in which municipal building
strive to conserve energy, water, and other natural resources while promoting human health and safety. The
holistic approach to architecture creates high-quality and enduring structures that enhance the economic
value and reduce the lifecycle costs of a building.
Design and construction of buildings are driven by the United States Green Building Council’s (USGBC)
Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) guidelines and promote these goals. The following
reports provide information about municipal buildings, highlight LEED credentials, and promote sustainable
building achievements.
City of Austin
Office of the City Architect
Peter Davis, AIA, LEED AP
Peter.Davis@austintexas.gov
Theresa Cascio
Silvia Calderon Laiton
Angela Cai
2018

3. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Owner: City of Austin & Austin Energy
Architect: Architecture Plus
MEP Engineer: Guerra
Contractor: Tolero Construction
Commissioning Agent: Austin Energy

4. REDUCES
ENERGY
CONSUMPTION
REDUCES
POTABLE
WATER USE
DIVERTS
MATERIALS
FROM LANDFILL
PROMOTES
ALTERNATIVE
TRANSPORTATION
IMPROVES
INDOOR
EXPERIENCE
IACP pg. 191
IACP pg. 11
IACP pg. 53
IACP pg. 187
IACP pg. 205
The following can be found in The IMAGINE AUSTIN Comprehensive Plan (IACP)

5. The 125,000 square foot office building was constructed in 1986 and was purchased by Austin Energy the
same year. Since that time, Austin Energy has utilized the building for its green building initiatives including:
LED lighting and reduced wattage fluorescent retrofits, bicycle parking, electrical cycle parking, electric car
charging stations and remote building energy management. The project is for the renovation of a portion of
the fifth floor of a city facility.
Austin Energy created GreenChoice, a Green-e certified energy program, in 1999. Subscribers to this
program purchase energy produced from 100 percent renewable energy provided by wind farms located in
West Texas. 250 kWh/sf in the project space per year is provided by renewable energy, far more than the
requirement of LEED. Sustainability is also achieved by installing a roof with high SRI materials for a
minimum of 75 percent of the roof area.
This project applied the SmartBuilding solution, which involves the occupants in the energy savings process
and they are active, involved participants in the energy consumption optimization of the building and
building operations. Multiple meters were installed on every floor of TLC and on every main “electrical
artery” within the building in 2011, allowing SmartBuilding to show each zone of the building and the
energy distribution to wall plugs, lighting, and to air handling, heating and cooling.
The indoor environmental quality is achieved through the guidance of the city. 60 percent of the original
interior nonstructural elements were retained or reapplied in this project. 75 percent by of the waste
generated from this project is recycle or salvage for reuse a minimum of, therefore diverting this waste from
landfills and incinerators.
TOWN LAKE CENTER 5TH FLOOR
RENOVATION
721 Barton Springs Road, Austin, TX, 78704
LEEDv3 ID+C: Commercial Interiors
AWARDED LEED SILVER FEB 2016
ARCHITECTURE PLUS

7. TOWN LAKE CENTER 5TH FLOOR RENOVATION
721 Barton Springs Road, Austin, TX, 78704
LEED SILVER 2016
REDUCES ENERGY CONSUMPTION
1
2
3
This building is on Austin Energy GreenChoice 100%
renewable energy powered by West Texas wind
Localized and user-controlled lighting aid in reducing
artificial light use
Energy performance is optimized in heating,
cooling, appliances, lighting, and occupancy
sensors
This savings is
equivalent to:
2,913
Cell phones’
watt usage
1,165
LED
lightbulbs
65%REDUCTION
INTERIOR
LIGHTING
POWER DENSITY
BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE
OFFICE OF THE CITY ARCHITECT
STRATEGIES:

8. 1
2
3
REDUCES POTABLE WATER USE
Potable water is a valuable resource that can be
significantly reduced in the design phase of a building
High-efficiency low-flow fixtures are used to help
reduce water consumption and costs, yielding water
savings and reduced utility bills
The landscaping and irrigation systems have been
designed to reduce irrigation water consumption from
a calculated baseline case
Per year110
Drinking water
for
1 Average sized
swimming pools
499 Bathtubs
This annual savings
is equivalent to: 20kGal of
water
TOWN LAKE CENTER 5TH FLOOR RENOVATION
721 Barton Springs Road, Austin, TX, 78704
LEED SILVER 2016
33%REDUCTION
INDOOR
POTABLE WATER
USE
BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE
OFFICE OF THE CITY ARCHITECT
STRATEGIES:

9. 1
2
3
DIVERTS MATERIALS FROM LANDFILL
All uncontaminated materials are recycled including all
paper items, corrugated cardboard, all metals, concrete
and masonry, all wood and carpet
The construction waste management plan primarily utilizes
on-site comingled collection and off-site materials sorting
An educational plan was implemented including waste
prevention, recycling activities and guided tours to educate
subcontractors on sustainable goals and requirements
This savings is
equivalent to: 88Metric tons of
GHG emissions
10
Energy consumed
by
Per year
Garbage trucks5
Times
Driving around
Earth
9
TOWN LAKE CENTER 5TH FLOOR RENOVATION
721 Barton Springs Road, Austin, TX, 78704
LEED SILVER 2016
83%REDUCTION
LANDFILL WASTE
BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE
OFFICE OF THE CITY ARCHITECT
STRATEGIES:
Metal
57% 12%
Wood
8%
Concrete
23%
Other
A CLOSER LOOK
AT DIVERTED WASTE:

10. REDUCTION AND REUSE OF MATERIALS
1
2
3
Recycled materials can include materials from the structural
components to the building’s finishes and are important for
preservation of the environment
The building reused 49,254 sq.ft. of the existing 75,784 sq.ft.
including finished ceiling, flooring, interior wall partitions, doors
within interior walls, exterior walls & built-in interior case goods
A CLOSER LOOK
at reused materials and elements:
Built-in interior
Case goods: 95 sf
Interior Wall
Partitions: 28,553 sf
Finished Ceiling : 15,974 sf
Finished Flooring: 570 sf
Doors within Interior
Walls 504 sf
Exterior Walls: 3,558 sf
Total Area
75,784 sf
Prefabricated components are another great method
of reducing material scraps and packaging
TOWN LAKE CENTER 5TH FLOOR RENOVATION
721 Barton Springs Road, Austin, TX, 78704
LEED SILVER 2016
65%REUSE
OF ORIGINAL
BUILDING
BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE
OFFICE OF THE CITY ARCHITECT
STRATEGIES:

11. This savings is
equivalent to:
=
Alternative transportation includes:
30Bicycle stalls Miles of commuting
per year
31
75,000
Metric tons of
CO2 emissions
PROMOTES ALTERNATIVE TRANSPORTATION
1
2
3
The bike facilities are available to the whole
building not just the LEED project area
There are 6 Capital Metro lines
within ¼ mile of the building.
Vicinity to public transportation promotes
alternative methods of travel
No new vehicle parking spaces were added
on-site
49%
of Users have Access to Bicycle
Stalls
Bicycle Stalls: 30
Total Peak
Users:
61
TOWN LAKE CENTER 5TH FLOOR RENOVATION
721 Barton Springs Road, Austin, TX, 78704
LEED SILVER 2016
BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE
OFFICE OF THE CITY ARCHITECT
What about shared transportation?
STRATEGIES:

12. IMPROVES INDOOR EXPERIENCE
1
2
3
A CLOSER LOOK:
AT VOC CONTENT
ADHESIVES &
SEALANTS
PAINTS &
COATINGS
COMPOSITE
WOOD
5 OUT OF 5
CREDITS ACHIEVED
FOR LOW-EMITTING
VOLATILE ORGANIC
COMPOUND (VOC)
CONTENT
ADHESIVE
&
SEALANTS
PAINTS
&
COATINGS
FLOORING
SYSTEMS
COMPOSITE
WOOD
FURNITURE
&
SEATING
FURNITURE &
SEATING
FLOORING
SYSTEMS
Ventilation air is provided through louvers with
motorized dampers in the mechanical penthouse
Smoking is prohibited within 25 feet of entries, outdoor air
intakes, and operable windows
Space mounted CO2 sensors monitor space CO2 levels to
ensure that ventilation systems maintain design
minimum ventilation requirements
Baseline: 685 g/L
Baseline: 900 g/L
Design: 89.16 g/L
Design: 389 g/L
Design: No VOCs
Design: No VOCs
Design: No VOCs
TOWN LAKE CENTER 5TH FLOOR RENOVATION
721 Barton Springs Road, Austin, TX, 78704
LEED SILVER 2016
100%
SPACES WITH
INDIVIDUAL
LIGHTING
CONTROLS
BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE
OFFICE OF THE CITY ARCHITECT
STRATEGIES:

13. RESOURCES
Leedatx.com
USGBC
Website
usgbc.org/leed
Project Profile
usgbc.org/projects/town-lake-center-5th-floor-renovation
Imagine Austin
Imagine Austin Vision
austintexas.gov/department/imagine-austin
Comprehensive Plan
ftp://ftp.ci.austin.tx.us/npzd/ImagineAustin/IACP_corrected2018.pdf
EPA
Waste Reduction Model
epa.gov/warm/versions-waste-reduction-model-warm#WARM Tool V14
GHG Conversion Calculator
epa.gov/energy/greenhouse-gas-equivalencies-calculator
Public Works Department
Website
austintexas.gov/department/public-works
PWD Capital Green Infrastructure
austintexas.gov/page/green-capital-improvement-projects BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE
OFFICE OF THE CITY ARCHITECT
Office of the City Architect
Contact Us
pwdcityarchitect@austintexas.gov
Team
Peter Davis, AIA, LEED AP
LEED/Sustainability Project Manager
Peter.Davis@austintexas.gov
Theresa Cascio
Silvia Calderon Laiton
Angela Cai