Houston Ranked As One of Nation’s Best Cities for Energy Star Rated Buildings

Houston is often said to the world’s energy capital and it has hit the headlines again for being one of America’s top 10 cities when it comes to volume of Energy-Star rated buildings. The Environmental Protection Agency published details and pointed out that the 20,000+ Energy-Star certified buildings in America have saved almost $3 billion in utility bills while preventing gas emissions equivalent to yearly electricity usage from 2 million homes. Phoenix Tower in Houston received a record breaking 14th straight Energy-Star certification making it the only building in the United States to receive this accolade. In order to gain certification, a building must be rated in the top 25% of similar buildings across the country. These buildings use 35% less energy than average buildings.

SkyHouse Houston Construction to Begin in April

Simpson Housing LLP, Novare Group and Peter W. Dienna are the first development team to utilize Houston’s downtown residential incentive program and the first building, called SkyHouse Houston, will be built from April 2013. It is believed that 500 new construction jobs will be created by this building while it is estimated that its creation will also attract 400 new residents to Houston’s Central Business District. This building will contain ceiling heights of up to 9 feet and be adorned with glass from floor to ceiling. A ‘Sky House’ will be created on the top floor and will contain amenities such as a fitness center, club room and swimming pool while the entire project will be Energy-Star rated. The $15,000 per apartment unit tax abatement awarded by the city was a huge incentive and one of the main reasons why the project is coming to fruition.

Alden Hotel to Be Rebranded

Once upon a time, the Aldon Hotel in downtown Houston was known as the Sam Houston hotel and the new owners of the property believe that restoring the original name is a crucial part of the future success of the building. Nick Massad III said that his family loved the idea of going back to the original name but they also needed to make sure it made sense from a business perspective. He is the son of Nick Massad II, renowned hotelier and American Liberty Hospitality’s CEO and President. Massad III believes that the name change and restoration of the hotel’s heritage will see a boom in business. A full interview is available in the 8 March edition of the Houston Business Journal’s Hospitality Focus section.

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Hi, My name is Mary MacDermid and I enjoy writing about everything Houston, including developments in The Woodlands commercial real estate and where to find a great brokerage like Bobek Realty Group Commercial.

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