MKDA Designs LEED-CI Silver Office, Workshop and Design Studio For Humanscale
New York, NY, August 17, 2011—Corporate interior design firm MKDA has designed an office, workshop and design studio for Humanscale that has achieved U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED) Commercial Interiors (CI) Silver Certification.
Humanscale, a designer and manufacturer of ergonomic products that improve health, comfort and work life quality, expanded its space at 11 East 26th Street in order to consolidate two separate office locations.
MKDA designed the space with an internal staircase that connects the newly-leased portion of the seventh floor, where the company houses its design studio and workshop, with the eighth floor, which houses the firm’s reception area, conference rooms, private offices and workstations.
“With a commitment to innovation and comfortable working environments, Humanscale requires that all of its office and design studios are sustainable and able to achieve LEED certification,” said MKDA Partner Jeffrey Kleinberg.
In order to achieve LEED certification, MKDA reused the previous tenant’s glass doors and sidelights and pre- and post-consumer recycled content for the ceilings and cabinetry. The firm also used low-VOC carpet tiles and paints as well as lighting systems that reduce power density to 35% below the standard.
“We were able to divert a substantial amount of existing materials from area landfills—a solution that complements the company’s focus on environmental responsibility,” said MKDA Designer Wendy Nuñez-Formickella, LEED AP, who noted that the firm additionally utilized ergonomic workstations for its employees.
“The Sheward Partnership worked closely with MKDA to create a space for Humanscale that would achieve LEED Silver certification. It was an important goal for the company, which has a strong corporate ethos of sustainability," said Michael W. Pavelsky, AIA, LEED AP BD+C, a sustainability director at The Sheward Partnership.
ABOUT MKDA
MKDA is a leading corporate space planning and interior design firm with offices in New York City and Stamford, CT. Since its inception in 1959, the firm has earned a reputation as one of New York’s most respected and renowned interior architectural design firms. Its success is largely due to its intimate knowledge of the real estate market and long-running experience working with landlords and brokers throughout New York. Clients have included Silverstein Properties, Vornado Realty Trust, Capstone, Westbrook, Durst Organization, Rockefeller Philanthropy, Eze Castle, Heineken, GE Monogram, Harvest Partners, AICPA, Prudential Douglas Elliman, Lowenstein Sandler, and Wachovia, among many others. Additional information on MKDA may be found at www.mkda.com.
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