Rockefeller Group Distribution Center
Receives LEED Silver Certification

113,000-Square-Foot Warehouse First in Metropolitan Tucson to Receive Designation

Phoenix, AZ — March 8, 2010 – Rockefeller Group Development Corporation, a subsidiary of The Rockefeller Group, announced today that its first development project in Tucson, Rockefeller Group Distribution Center, has achieved LEED Silver Certification. The 113,000-square-foot building is the first industrial building certified LEED Silver in the metro-Tucson area.

“The Rockefeller Group is very committed to green initiatives and is very proud to have the first LEED Silver certified industrial building in Tucson,” said Mark Singerman, regional director of RGDC’s Arizona office. “We set out to design a building that not only meets but exceeds the United State Green Building Council’s criteria for energy optimization and with this designation, we have accomplished that.”

There are several key components of the building that helped the company obtain the “Core and Shell” designation. Envelope, lighting, and the HVAC system were designed using an hourly building simulation, which led to increased energy cost savings. The white reflective roof material is optimal for energy efficiency. The warehouse can be evaporatively cooled at the tenant’s option, and the office is insulated up to an R-13 rating. The windows of the building are made of medium performance dual-glazed glass that reduces the amount of heat gain and loss in the building.

Another feature of the building is that it contains dozens of 4'x 8' skylights and windows near the roof in the wall panels. These skylights and windows allow natural light into the building, reducing the need for warehouse lighting during daylight hours. Additional energy saving features are the photo cells that control the warehouse lighting and motion detectors that control lighting in the offices.

“We are very proud of all the work that went into Rockefeller Group Distribution Center and its LEED certification and would like to recognize the contractors, consultants and vendors who helped in this process,” added Singerman. “E/FECT Sustainable Design Solutions; Lundstrom & Associates; Chestnut Construction; Rick Engineering; and PICOR, who is handling leasing, did an outstanding job and we appreciate their support on this project.”

Towne Air Freight (Towne) currently occupies 17,711 square feet of office and distribution space at the center. The building can accommodate several additional tenants up to approximately 95,000 square feet.

RGDC is headquartered in Manhattan and is a national owner, developer, and manager of prestigious commercial real estate properties. Its developments include corporate headquarters, landmark properties, multi-use urban complexes, warehouse/distribution facilities, suburban business parks, and foreign trade zones. RGDC, with regional offices in Arizona, California, Florida, and New Jersey, is an operating company of The Rockefeller Group, developer of Rockefeller Center in New York City.